Singapore

Though physically small, Singapore is an economic giant. It has been Southeast Asia's most
modern city for over a century. The city blends Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and English
cultures and religions. A full calendar of traditional festivals and holidays celebrated throughout
the year adds to its cultural appeal.The island nation of the Republic of Singapore lies one degree
north of the Equator in Southern Asia. The country includes the island of Singapore and 58 or so
smaller islands. Because of its efficient and determined government, Singapore has become a
flourishing country that excels in trade and tourism and is a model to developing nations. The
capital city, also called Singapore, covers about a third of the area of the main island.

Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore's tropical climate welcomes both leisure and
business travelers year round. The island republic's excellent infrastructure enables visitors to
enjoy its many sites and attractions in a safe, clean and green environment. Award winning
Changi Airport provides airlinks to major cities around the world. The train and subway systems
are clean, fast and efficient. In addition, its state-of-the-art cruise terminal has established
Singapore as one of the premier cruising centers of South East Asia and an exciting port of call
on any Asian cruise itinerary.

In the city, there is no need for a car. Public transportation is excellent and walking is a good
way to explore the city . All major attractions are also accessible by tour bus. Since the city is
only 60 miles (100k) from the equator, the tropical temperatures do not vary much. Rainfall is
fairly evenly distributed through the year. No matter when you choose to visit, warm weather
will be abundantly available. The visitor is struck immediately by Singapore's abundance of
parks, nature reserves, and lush, tropical greenery.

Singapore's progress over the past three decades has been remarkable, yet the island has not been
overwhelmed by development. Visitors will discover a wealth of historical treasures from the
past, in the beauty of older buildings, values and traditions that have survived in the face of
profound social and geographical change.

Lacking any noteworthy natural resources, Singapore's early prosperity was based on a vigorous
free trade policy, put in place in 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles first established it as a British
trading post. Later, mass industrialization bolstered the economy, and today the state boasts the
world's second busiest port after Rotterdam, minimal unemployment, and a super efficient
infrastructure. Almost the entire population lives in upscale new apartments, and the average per
capita income is over US$12,000. Singapore is a clean, safe place to visit, its amenities are
second to none and its public places are smoke-free and hygienic.

Forming the core of downtown Singapore is the Colonial District. Each surrounding enclave has
its own distinct flavor, from the aromatic spice stores of Little India, to the tumbledown
backstreets of Chinatown, where it is still possible to find calligraphers and fortune tellers, or the
Arab Quarter, whose cluttered stores sell fine cloths and silks.

North of the city, are two nature preserves, Bukit Timah and the Central Catchment Area, along
with the splendid Singapore Zoological Gardens. The east coast features good seafood
restaurants set on long stretches of sandy beach. In addition there are over fifty islands and islets
within Singaporean waters, all of which can be reached with varying degrees of ease. Day trips
are popular to Sentosa, the island amusement arcade which is linked to the south coast by a short
causeway and cable car. Music, theater, nightlife: all are abundant in this remarkable city.
Singapore used to be considered a "stop over" on the way to larger Asian cities. This is no longer
 true! Visitors seek out Singapore for business and finance and also for a fascinating and
satisfying vacation for the whole family.

Singapore is both an island and a country, but perhaps its best description is that of city-state.
Like the great city-states of the past, it offers civilization and order in the highest degree. Its
combination of Western-style development and Eastern-style calm seems to present the best of
both hemispheres: It's a modern metropolis where you feel safe walking the streets, and it's an
Asian business center that's a model of efficiency. Singapore is also a multicultural city, and
close to one-quarter of its population are expatriates or foreign workers from all over the world.
Known for its desire to become the technology hub of Asia, Singapore is the most wired country
in the region.

Singapore shares another trait with historical city-states: Its authorities strongly believe that they
can safeguard the status quo with regulations against almost anything and everything that - in
their view - could possibly upset the sense of tranquility. In reality, visitors will find the place is
not as restrictive as the long lists of hefty fines for such things as littering and jaywalking
suggest. Some visitors to Singapore leave singing the praises of a society that "works," while
others feel the government's near-compulsive fixation on cleanliness and order makes Singapore
sterile in every sense of the word.

Singapore Culture

Singapore is a cosmopolitan society where people live harmoniously and interaction among
different races are commonly seen. The pattern of Singapore stems from the inherent cultural
diversity of the island. The immigrants of the past have given the place a mixture of Malay,
Chinese, Indian, and European influences, all of which have intermingled.

Behind the facade of a modern city, these ethnic races are still evident. The areas for the different
races, which were designated to them by Sir Stamford Raffles, still remain although the bulk of
Singaporeans do think of themselves as Singaporeans, regardless of race or culture. Each still
bears its own unique character.

The old streets of Chinatown can still be seen; the Muslim characteristics are still conspicuous in
Arab Street; and Little India along Serangoon Road still has its distinct ambience. Furthermore,
there are marks of the British colonial influence in the Neo-Classical buildings all around the
city.

Each racial group has its own distinctive religion and there are colorful festivals of special
significance all year round. Although the festivals are special to certain races, it is nonetheless
enjoyed by all.

In Singapore, food is also readily and widely available. There are lots of cuisines to offer. We
have, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Peranakan, Spanish, French, Thai
and even Fusion. It is very common to savour other culture's food and some of the food can be
very intriguing. Indian food are relatively spicier, whereas Chinese food is less spicier and the
Chinese enjoy seafood. Malay cooking uses coconut milk as their main ingredient, that makes
their food very tasty.

Language in Singapore

The four official languages of Singapore are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is the
most common language used and is the language which unites the different ethnic groups.
 Children are taught in English at school but also learn their mother tongue to make sure they
don't lose contact with their traditions.

Expatriates and foreigners may encounter language problems in the beginning of their stay in
Singapore as many Singaporeans use Singlish to communicate. Singlish is a mix of English with
other languages mixed into the English, sometimes phrases can end with funny terms like 'lah',
'leh', mah'. Chinese commonly use their own dialects to communicate, and sometimes, inter-
dialect groups don't understand one another's language, as the language is vastly different.
Except for Hokkien and Teochew, which have a closer link. The Malays use the language among
their fellow races and the Indians speak Tamil. But whatever the race or religion, the country's
community unite as one nation, where most religious or racial gaps are being bridged.

Singapore English has its origins in the schools of colonial Singapore. In the nineteenth century
very few children went to school at all, and even fewer were educated in English. The people
who spoke English and sent their children to English medium schools were mainly the
Europeans, the Eurasians (people of mixed racial ancestry), some of the small minorities, such as
the Jews, some of the Indians and Ceylonese, and also a group of Chinese people usually called
the Straits Chinese, who had ancestors of long residence in the region, and who spoke a variety
of Malay usually called Baba Malay which was influenced by Hokkien Chinese and by Bazaar
Malay.

The fact that all these children would have known Malay probably explains why most of the loan
words in Singapore Colloquial English are from Malay. The largest group of teachers were
Eurasians, and there were also many teachers from Ceylon and India. European teachers were
never more than a quarter of the total teaching staff in a school, and they usually taught the
senior classes. These Europeans may have been from Britain (which at that time included
Ireland) but were also from the USA, Belgium and France. The children in these schools would
have been exposed to many varieties of English.

In the first twenty years of the twentieth century, English medium education became popular for
all groups. Girls started going to school in larger numbers too. By the 1950s nearly all children
went to school, and the majority were educated in English. By the 1980s. all education was in the
medium of English (with children learning another language alongside English).

Singapore English grew out of the English of the playground of these children of various
linguistic backgrounds who were learning English at school. As more and more of its people
experienced learning English at school, English became widely spoken, alongside Singapore's
many other languages. Since Singapore became an independent Republic in 1965, the use of
English has increased still further. For many Singaporeans, English is the main language. Many
families speak English at home and it is one of the the first languages learnt by about half of the
current pre-school children.

Nearly everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with many people speaking three
or four. Most children grow up bilingual from infancy and learn more languages as they grow
up. Naturally the presence of other languages (especially various varieties of Malay and of
Chinese) has influenced the English of Singapore. The influence is especially apparent in the
kind of English that is used informally, which is popularly called Singlish. Singlish is a badge of
identity for many Singaporeans.