Jurong

Jurong, district and industrial complex of southwestern Singapore. Jurong estate, one of the largest industrial sites (9,600 acres [3,900 hectares]) in Southeast Asia, occupies drained swampland near the mouth of the Jurong River. It has heavy and light industries and is served by access roads, a spur railway, and its own harbour.

The Jurong project grew out of Singapore’s participation in the Malaysia federation (formed in 1963). It was to be the processing centre for the rubber, tin, and palm oil produced in the other states. Although development was slowed by Singapore’s secession in 1965, more than 800 companies are now located there. The National Iron and Steel Mill is the industrial core. Other industries include shipbuilding, repair, and breaking yards, a steel-pipe factory, an acid plant, and an oil refinery. Marine-oriented concerns use the facilities of Jurong port on Sembilan Strait of the South China Sea, which is equipped with five deepwater berths.

The district is ringed by resettlement areas and served by Nanyang University and Jurong Park, a large recreational area. The Jurong Town Corporation, established in 1968, manages the land, factories, low-cost housing, and recreational facilities of the area.