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SINGAPORE > FACTS ABOUT THE COUNTRY
HISTORY
Singapore was first established as a trading post for the powerful Sumatran Srivijaya
empire and later the Javanese Majapahit empire in the mid thirteenth century.
According to Malay legend, the city was named Singapura, meaning Lion City, after
a Sumatran prince encountered a lion, considered to be a good omen. The British
established a presence in the straits of Malacca in the 18th Century when the
East India Company set out to secure and protect its line of trade from China
to the colonies in India, and in 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles asked for an increased
British presence in order to prevent domination of Dutch trading power. Under
British rule with the guidance of Raffles, the squalid, disease-ridden colony
soon became a flourishing tariff free trading port, and both a military and naval
base were established.
During World War II, the British were defeated by the Japanese during the invasion
of Singapore in 1941. After Japan's surrender in 1945, the British were welcomed
back but their right to rule was no longer assured.
In 1959, the People's Action Party was elected with the Cambridge-educated
Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister, a position he was to hold for the next 31 years.
Lee formed a government determined to suppress political opposition, he resigned
as prime minister in 1990 and was replaced by Goh Chok Tong, a leader more inclined
towards consultation and liberalism. The country's first presidential election
was held in August 1993 and the most recent election was in September 1999 when
the presidency, a role that is largely ceremonial, was won by SR Nathan.
GEOGRAPHY
Consisting of the main island and over 50 islets. Singapore is one degree (about
87 miles) north of the equator, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula,
linked to Malaysia by causeway, with the Indonesian islands to the south, and
Thailand and the Philippines to the north.
CLIMATE
The weather in Singapore is hot and humid. 25-33 degrees Celsius, tropical,
with humidity hovering around 75% and sometimes reaching more than 90 %. Cooler
months are from November to January. It also rains quite a lot and monsoon season
is from December to February and driest months are from May to July - the difference
between the two, however, is slight. Due to Singapore's proximity to the equator,
it receives a steady amount of sunshine all through the year.
ECOLOGY
The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the largest area of remaining primary rainforest.
The park is filled with over 800 species of native plants including giant trees,
ferns and wild flowers. This is also where you'll see long-tailed macaques,
lemurs, pythons, racquet-tailed drongos and the white-bellied sea eagle. Singapore's
Botanic Gardens has both primary jungle and cultivated areas that together contain
an abundance of plant species, much work has been done here on breeding the
orchids for which Singapore is famous.
ENVIRONMENT
Singapore consists of the main, low-lying Singapore Island and 58 smaller islands
within its territorial waters. Almost 50% of the land area is urban, while a
further 40% is occupied by parkland, reservoirs, plantations and open military
areas. Singapore Island measures approximately 42km by 23km at its widest points.
The main city area is in the south, built on the shores of the Singapore River.
The Central Business District is at the southern shore of the river's mouth
joined by Chinatown to the southwest. To the north of the Singapore River is
the colonial district, Little India and Arab Street. Orchard Road runs northwest
from the colonial district.
FLORA AND FAUNA
With blossoming tree-lined boulevards, city-parks and lush tropical gardens,
Singapore has earned the reputation as Asia's "Garden City". The national
flower is the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Lee Kuan Yew was prime minister from 1959 until 1990, his government suppressed
political opposition and cracked down on anything deemed even slightly socially
undesirable, hence the introduction of regulations banning the chewing of gum
and smoking in public. 1993 saw the country's first presidential election, prior
to that presidents were elected by members of parliament.
ECONOMY
Economically, the South East-Asian region's late-1990s downturn hit Singapore
as hard as anywhere else, and in one three-month period in late 1998, unemployment
in the country doubled to 4.5%. The city-state has since recovered, however,
and is lively and active.
POPULATION AND PEOPLE
75% of the population are Chinese, 16% Malay, 7% Indians and 2% other.
ARTS
Singapore is the venue for internationally acclaimed festivals such as WOMAD
(World of Music, Arts and Dance), and the Singapore Arts and Jazz Festivals.
The older generation of Chinese Singaporeans enjoy Chinese opera; a colorful
mixture of dialogue, music, song and dance. It is an ancient form of theatre
and it reached the peak of its popularity during the Ming Dynasty from the 14th
to 17th centuries. The acting is very stylized and the music is dissonant to
most Western ears. Street performances, in particular the spectacular Lion Dance,
are held during important festivals such as Chinese New Year. Other performing
arts include Malay and Indian dances.
SOCIETY AND CONDUCT
It is not customary to address people by their first names unless you are invited
to do so; use Mr., Mrs. or Miss as titles. It is very important to obey the
laws as they are strictly enforced, fines are levied for such acts as littering,
smoking in restricted areas and not wearing a seat belt. Smoking is prohibited
in public buses, elevators, theaters, cinemas, air-conditioned restaurants,
shopping centers and government offices. It is common courtesy to ask permission
to take photographs of people, mosques or temples. When entering a Singaporean's
house or a mosque, remember to take off your shoes. Do not eat or offer anything
with your left hand when in the company of Muslims. Tipping is prohibited at
the airport and discouraged at hotels and restaurants that have a 10% service
charge.
RELIGION
Singapore's main religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity
LANGUAGE
The four official languages of Singapore are Mandarin, English, Malay and Tamil.
English is widespread and is the language that unites the various ethnic groups.
Don't be offended when Singaporeans speak to you in 'Singlish', a mix of English
with a smattering of Chinese dialects and Malay thrown in. This is colloquial
talk in Singapore and can be quite fun to learn.
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