Downtown Core
Planning Area
Other transcription(s)
• Chinese	市中心
• Malay	Pusat Bandar
• Tamil	டவுன்டவுன் கோர்
From top left to right: Aerial view of the Civic District, Raffles Place, Parliament House, The Helix Bridge with Marina Bay Sands in the background, Old Supreme Court Building, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, The Merlion with the Marina Bay Financial Centre in the background
Singapore's Downtown Core
Location in Central Region
Downtown Core    Downtown Core within    Singapore Show map of Singapore Downtown Core Downtown Core (Asia) Show map of Asia Downtown Core Downtown Core (Earth) Show map of Earth
Coordinates: 1°17′12″N 103°51′13″E / 1.28667°N 103.85361°E / 1.28667; 103.85361
Country	Singapore
Region	Central Region
CDC	Central Singapore CDC
Town council	Jalan Besar Town Council Tanjong Pagar Town Council
Constituency	Jalan Besar GRC Tanjong Pagar GRC
1st DGP exhibited	1995[1]
2nd DGP exhibited	1997[1]
PA incorporated	22 January 1999[1]
Government
• Mayor	Central Singapore CDC Denise Phua
• Members of Parliament	Jalan Besar GRC Denise Phua Josephine Teo Tanjong Pagar GRC Indranee Thurai Rajah
Area [2]
• Total	4.34 km2 (1.68 sq mi)
• Rank	44th
Population  (2019)[2][3]
• Total	2,720
• Rank	32nd
• Density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
• Rank	34th
Ethnic groups [3]
• Chinese	2,970
• Malays	40
• Indians	320
• Others	390
Postal district	1, 6, 7

The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buildings in the world, with a luxurious standalone casino at Bayfront Avenue. There are many skyscrapers in Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar and Marina Bay CBD with a height limit of 280m. It is one of the eleven planning areas located within the most urbanised Central Area,^[4] forming the latter's dense urban core. It is bounded by Rochor to the north, Kallang to the northeast, Marina East and Marina South to the east, Straits View to the southeast, Bukit Merah to the south, as well as Outram, Museum and Singapore River to the west.

As the financial Heart of Singapore, the Downtown Core houses the headquarters and offices of numerous corporations, as well as the Singapore Exchange. The area is also home to many governmental institutions, notably the seat of Parliament and the Supreme Court of Singapore.

Singapore's modern history began in this area, when Stamford Raffles and representatives of the British East India Company landed along the banks of the Singapore River to set up a free port in Southeast Asia. As the old harbour grew along the mouth of the river bank, the city naturally expanded around it, creating what is now the Central Area.

The name "Downtown Core" remains relatively unheard of and the term Central Business District (CBD) is commonly used in conversation instead. However, the area known as the CBD actually comprises a smaller area within the Downtown Core itself, taking up the south-western and western portions of the planning area, consisting largely of many skyscrapers. It is made up of eight subzones, Anson, Cecil, Clifford Pier, Maxwell, Phillip, Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar and Marina Centre.^[4] The core of the CBD has since extended well beyond its boundaries and the term is even often at times used to refer to the Central Area as a whole.

History

As a fledgling colony, the area which is now known as the Downtown Core was the financial, administrative and commercial centre of the colony. In 1823, Singapore was reorganised according to the Raffles Plan of Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles, which specified elements like the Commercial Square (now Raffles Place) and the European Town as well as various other commercial and administrative entities located between them. This area later became the Downtown Core.