Downtown Core

{{About|the planning area in Singapore|the more general discussion|Downtown|other uses|Downtown (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Downtown Core

| settlement_type = Planning area

| translit_lang1 = Other

| translit_lang1_type1 = Chinese

| translit_lang1_info1 = 市中心

| translit_lang1_type2 = Malay

| translit_lang1_info2 = Pusat Bandar

| translit_lang1_type3 = Tamil

| translit_lang1_info3 = டவுன்டவுன் கோர்

| image_skyline = {{Photomontage

| photo1a = Aerial view of the Civic District, Singapore - 20110224.jpg

| photo2a = Raffles Place.jpg

| photo2b = Parliament House, Singapore - 20100803-02.jpg

| photo3a = The Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore - 20140513.jpg

| photo3b = OldSupremeCourtBuilding-Singapore-20070409.jpg

| photo3c = The Esplanade 4, Singapore, Dec 05.JPG

| photo4a = Singapore Merlion-at-Marina-Bay-01.jpg

| size = 280

| spacing = 2

| color = transparent

| border = 0

}}

| image_caption = 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

| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=13|frame-latitude=1.2867|frame-longitude=103.8535}}

| map_caption = Singapore's Downtown Core

| pushpin_map = #Singapore#Asia#Earth

| pushpin_map_caption = {{Legend inline|#CC0000|outline=black}} Downtown Core within {{Legend inline|#FEFEEF|outline=black}} Singapore

| coordinates = {{Coord|1|17|12|N|103|51|13|E|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Singapore}}

| subdivision_type1 = Region

| subdivision_name1 = Central Region

---

| subdivision_type2 = CDC

| subdivision_name2 = * Central Singapore CDC

| subdivision_type3 = Town council

| subdivision_name3 = * Jalan Besar Town Council

• Tanjong Pagar Town Council

| subdivision_type4 = Constituency

| subdivision_name4 = * Jalan Besar GRC

• Tanjong Pagar GRC

| established_title = 1st DGP exhibited

| established_date = * 1995{{cite web|title=Singapore Infopedia – Development guide plan|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1371_2009-01-05.html|publisher=National Library Board}}

| established_title1 = 2nd DGP exhibited

| established_date1 = * 1997

| established_title2 = PA incorporated

| established_date2 = * 22 January 1999

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Central Singapore CDC

• Denise Phua

-----

| leader_title1 = Members of Parliament

| leader_name1 = Jalan Besar GRC

{{Bulleted list|list_style=line-height: inherit; | Denise Phua | Josephine Teo}}

Tanjong Pagar GRC

{{Bulleted list|list_style=line-height: inherit; | Indranee Thurai Rajah}}

| area_footnotes = [http://www.citypopulation.de/php/singapore-admin.php?adm1id=104 City Population – statistics, maps and charts | Downtown Core]

| area_total_km2 = 4.34

| area_rank = 44th

| population_as_of = 2024

| population_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/population/geographic-distribution/latest-data|title=Statistics Singapore - Geographic Distribution - Latest Data|access-date=January 10, 2025}}

| population_total = 4,660

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_rank = 33rd

| population_density_rank = 35th

| demographics1_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/cop2020/sr2/excel/t88-91.ashx|title=2020 Census of Population: Geographical Distribution of Residents (Tables 88 to 91)|access-date=9 January 2025|publisher=Department of Statistics Singapore}}

| demographics_type1 = Ethnic groups

| demographics1_title1 = Chinese

| demographics1_info1 = 2,970

| demographics1_title2 = Malays

| demographics1_info2 = 40

| demographics1_title3 = Indians

| demographics1_info3 = 320

| demographics1_title4 = Others

| demographics1_info4 = 390

| postal_code_type = Postal district

| postal_code = 1, 6, 7

| map_caption1 = Location in Central Region

| image_map1 = Downtown Core in Central Region, Singapore.svg

}}

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 two 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,{{cite web |url= http://www.ura.gov.sg/dgp_reports/downtown/main.html|title= Downtown Core Planning Report 1995|access-date=2007-07-15 |work= Urban Redevelopment Authority |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070612192533/http://www.ura.gov.sg/dgp_reports/downtown/main.html |archive-date = 2007-06-12}} 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. 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.