Officially named the Republic of Singapore and founded in 1819 by British statesman Thomas Stamford Raffles, this small Asian island country lies just a short distance to the north of the equator, being close to both the Indonesian Riau Islands and Malaysia. Singapore is an incredibly affluent country and amongst the premier financial centres on the planet, whilst also being called home by one of the world's busiest ports, all of which is mightily impressive considering its relatively small size.Singapore City forms the 'Downtown Core' and resides on the southern side of the island. It is here where tourists will find many of the most appealing attractions, such as a giant observation wheel named the Flyer, a charming Colonial District, a vibrant and exciting Chinatown, and an atmospheric Little India. The shopping along Orchard Road is exceptional and innumerable malls lie along this stretch.
There aren't many places in existence that offer such a diverse and exotic dining scene as the country of Singapore, where Asian cuisine comes in the form of Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Malay, Peranakan, Thai and Vietnamese, to name the most prominent. Not only are there countless restaurants in all of the busy cities and towns, but also numerous street vendors, selling tasty morsels from their food carts.
Singapore is a country that is always hot, due to its extreme proximity to the equator. Rainfall is fairly steady all through the year, although May, June and July are usually the driest months. Getting around is not a problem, with transport being provided by SIA Tourist Buses and the modern MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) subway network.
Singapore Information / Singapore Fast Facts
- Country: Republic of Singapore
- Population: 5.2 million
- Capital city: Singapore City (Downtown Core)
- Language: English, also Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil
- Main exports: chemicals, electronics, petroleum refining and mechanical engineering
- Area: 274 square miles / 710 square kilometres
- Currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD)
- Time zone: SST (UTC+8)
- Country dialling code: +65
- Religion: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Hinduism
Map of Singapore
World Guide to Singapore City, Singapore
