Singapore Overview

by countryaah · Published June 3, 2019 · Updated September 25, 2019

Country Profile

Singapore is located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, by the Straits of Malacca. Its full name is the Republic of Singapore. Singapore is Sanskrit meaning “Lion City.” The country covers an area of 683 square kilometers and has a population of 4.19 million. 76.9% of residents are Chinese, followed by Malays, Indians and others. Many Chinese believe in Buddhism, while Indians and Malays are Hindu, and many Pakistanis are Muslim. Malay is the official language, and English, Mandarin, and Tamil are also spoken. The currency is Singapore dollars. Capital of Singapore is Singapore (singapore).

Singapore National Flag

Singapore’s flag is red and white, composed of two rectangles. The upper left corner has curved white crescent and a white, five-pointed star. The red symbolizes human equality, while white symbolizes purity and virtue. The crescent is the symbol of the State, and the five stars symbolize the establishment of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality.

History Summary

Singapore was once called Temasek. In the 8th century, the Indonesian Srivijaya dynasty was founded. In the 18th and 19th century, the country was part of the Malay kingdom of Johor. In 1819, the British Stanford arrives. Raffles arrived in a new contract with the Sultan of Johor to set up trading posts. In 1824, it became a British colony, a British trading port involved in the re-export trade of the Far East and the main military base in Southeast Asia. In 1942, Singapore was occupied by Japan. After Japan surrendered in 1945, the United Kingdom resumed its colonial rule, classified as direct rule the following year. In 1959, it became a self-governing state in internal affairs, retaining the British defense and foreign affairs, with a constitutional amendment enacting “emergency law” and other powers. On September 16, 1965, Singapore became part of Malaysia. On August 9, 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia, establishing the Republic of Singapore. In September of that same year, Singapore became a the United Nations Member State, and in October joined the Commonwealth.

Economy and Culture Overview

The economy of Singapore is international and diversified, although the natural resources, and the location and quality of the population are the most valuable assets. The share of agriculture in the national economy less than 1%; food is almost entirely imported. Singapore does not produce oil, but has advanced technology and a huge petrochemical industry. Singapore is the world’s leading oil refining center and leads the world in producing offshore oil drilling platforms, second only to Houston and Rotterdam, Netherlands. The United States is the world’s third largest oil refining center. The refining industry, ship manufacturing, and electrical and electronics industries are the main pillars of the economy.

Singapore is among Southeast Asia’s most important industrialized countries. From the 20th century into the late 1970s, Singapore focused on developing high-tech industries. It is now one of the major producers of the world’s computer parts and integrated circuits. Singapore’s electronics industry has developed rapidly, and exports of electronic products have soared, enjoying the reputation as the “Southeast Asian Silicon Valley.” Singapore is also vigorously developing its financial sector, known as the “Asian dollar market.” Of fifty major banks around the world, forty-five ahve branches in Singapore. Singapore has become the world’s fourth-largest financial center. In the development of industry, Singapore has attached great importance to environmental protection.

Singapore is an open country in conception and can be inclusive. Singapore has absorbed the Western legal system, the essence of effective management, and strict attention to the values and traditions of culture absorbed from the essence of the Orient. Eastern and Western cultures blend to make Singaporeans polite, friendly, practical, efficient, and honestly driven to win. Due to resource scarcity, environmental awareness is extremely characteristic. Singapore City, has trees, clustered flowers; the environment is clean and beautiful, like a beautiful garden. Yu termed it a “Garden State.”

Sentosa

Sentosa is a world-renowned tourist destination, 500 meters south of the island of Singapore, south of Keppel Harbour when on Singapore’s third largest island. Formerly uninhabited, it was known as a “non-repeatable island.” In 1972, the island was renamed “Sentosa.” The island has many attractions: Sylow prime Fort, Coral Hall, Georgia’s largest aquarium Palace – Underwater World, Sentosa Arts Centre, Madame Tussauds, and an insect museum. The island also has Southeast Asia’s largest roller skating rink.

Kistler Museum

Located in Sentosa Island, the Kistler Museum is the world’s most unique rock museum. A small and exquisite building, the museum possesses more than 4,000 rock formations from around the world. These precious stones were essentially carefully collected by the family of museum curator CHEUNG Wing Kwong over more than 140 years. The first piece of the collection is said to have been acquired in 1850. Chinese rocks represent 40% of the total treasure. The exhibits are divided into five categories: jewelry, patterned stone, text rock type, pictographs rock type, and rock formations.

Tail like a lion

This is the sign and symbol of Singapore. It stands where the Singapore River meets the sea, a statue eight meters high made of white marble. The base is a wavy sea, with 2,000 tiles made Xiangtie. Four to five meters above the water level, a lion with fish’s body,like leaping from a river. Every rising sea lion population that is out sprays straight sets of water columns. In the day, the sea lion looks lovely in clear water and blue sky against the backdrop of the river, and at night it is lit by lights, glittering, eye-catching, and glamorous.