Singapore Facts and Culture

What is Singapore famous for?

• Food and Recipes: When Singaporeans serve food at home, they usually place dishes in the center of the table at the beginning of... More
• Family: Singapore is an urban society and most people live with their immediate families in apartments. Today, about 78% of families... More
• Fashion: Standard business attire is quite formal but can be tailored to suit Singapore's hot, tropical climate. Men should wear a... More
• Recreation: There are sports facilities throughout Singapore. Regional sports and fitness centers promote Sport For Life, a national program aimed at... More
• Cultural Attributes: People in Singapore do not use first names except with close friends. They also do not talk openly about feelings... More
• Dating: Arranged marriages are still common, especially among Indians and Malays. Young people may rely on parents or matchmakers to choose... More
• Diet: The food of Singapore reflects its multi ethnic society. Chinese, Malay, Peranakan and Indian food are all widely available and... More

What is the capital of Singapore?

Capital	Singapore
Government Type	parliamentary republic
Currency	SGD
Total Area	269 Square Miles 697 Square Kilometers
Location	Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Language	Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
GDP - real growth rate	2.2%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$85,700.00 (USD)

What is the population of Singapore?

Ethnic Groups	Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%
Nationality Adjective	Singapore
Nationality Noun	Singaporean(s)
Population	6,209,660
Population Growth Rate	1.96%
Predominant Language	Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
Urban Population	100%

What type of government does Singapore have?

• Executive Branch: chief of state: President HALIMAH Yacob (since 14 September 2017); note - President TAN's term ended on 31 August 2017;... More
• Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory More
• Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore dual citizenship recognized: no residency... More
• National Holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965) More
• Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965; amended many times, last in 2015 More
• Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) More

What environmental issues does Singapore have?

• Overview: The Republic of Singapore is a small city/state island located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, 85 miles north... More
• Climate: Vegetation is lush and tropical. Seasons are nonexistent. In this "Land of Eternal Summer," the mean high temperature is 90ºF... More
• Environment - Current Issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires... More
• Environment - International Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,... More
• Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve More

How big is the Singapore economy?

• Economic Overview: Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys an open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a... More
• Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair,... More
• Currency Name and Code: SGD More
• Export Partners: Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% More
• Import Partners: Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%, Taiwan 4.6% More

What current events are happening in Singapore?
Source: Google News

What unique things can you discover about Singapore?

• 
  During the 20th century, Singaporeans have been British subjects, then Japanese subjects, then Malaysians, and finally Singaporeans.
• 
  Early Chinese and Indian temples are among the oldest buildings in Singapore. Some have been preserved as national monuments.
• 
  Tiger Balm medicated cream was created a century ago by a Chinese doctor in Burma called Aw Chu Kin. One of his sons came to Singapore and marketed the cream throughout southeast Asia. Tiger Balm is now one of Singapore's most famous products. It is used to treat colds, insect bites, headaches and stomach aches. Its formula includes camphor, menthol, clove and peppermint.
  
  
  
• 
  The Singapore government has set up a special school program for obese children in which their weight and food intake is monitored.
• Forty days after the birth of a Chinese baby, the baby is dressed in the lucky color red and shown off to relatives. Red-colored hard-boiled eggs are distributed as symbols of life and energy.
• In the Malay language, plurals are formed by repeating the word. For example, 'man' is laki and 'men' is laki-laki.
• King Rat by James Clavell and The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell are bestselling novels set in wartime Singapore.
• Many beautiful orchids grow in Singapore. The Vanda Miss Joaquim, an indigenous hybrid, was first discovered in the Singapore garden of Miss Agnes Joaquim and was chosen in 1981 as the national flower of Singapore.
• 
  Many Singaporeans enjoy bird-singing competitions. The owners of the birds spend a lot of time training their birds. A bird that sings well can bring in thousands of dollars in prize money. A National Songbird Competition has been held annually since 1982. Community centers also hold local competitions throughout the year.
  
  
• Singapore banned chewing gum in 1992 because of a litter problem. The penalty for smuggling gum into the country is one year in jail, and a 10,000 Singapore dollar ($5,500) fine.
• The first school in Singapore, attended by six boys and six girls, opened in 1822 at the Raffles Institution.
• 
  The symbol of Singapore, the Merlion, is a mythical beast said to be half lion, half fish. The eight-meter high Merlion statue stands at the mouth of the Singapore River.
• The tallest buildings in Singapore are the Overseas Union Bank, built in 1986, and the United Overseas Bank, built in 1992. They are each 66 stories high.
• The world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A-380, flew from
  Singapore to Sydney on its first commercial flight run by
  state-controlled Singapore Airlines.
• Women dress in traditional costume for events such as weddings or going to the temple. Chinese wear a cheong sam, Indians wear a sari, and the Malays wear a sarong-kebaye.
• When a child loses a tooth they throw their lower teeth straight up to the roof so that the new teeth will grow straight up. They throw their lower teeth straight down to the ground. If they throw them slanted, the new tooth might grow in slanted.

What can you learn about Singapore in this video?

Singapore Guide YouTube, Expoza Travel

What makes Singapore a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Singapore is a small, stable, highly developed country with an elected parliamentary system of government. Tourist facilities are modern and widely available. Singapore's resident population of over five million inhabitants comprises 75% Chinese, 14% Malay, 9% Indian, and 2% others. English is widely spoken. Criminal penalties are strict and law enforcement rigorous; see sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Special Circumstances, and Criminal Penalties below for further details.

Crime

The crime rate in Singapore is generally low. Even so, you should exercise caution when in congested areas and pay particular attention to personal belongings while in crowded shopping malls and markets, at the airport, and while traveling on public transportation. To avoid falling victim to credit card fraud, you should not carry multiple credit cards on your person, not allow credit cards to be removed from your sight, avoid giving credit card information over the phone, and use only secure Internet connections for financial transactions.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, as not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them, you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. While you are traveling in Singapore, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. If you break local laws in Singapore, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not in Singapore. In Singapore, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. Driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. In Singapore, you can be arrested for jaywalking, littering, or spitting. Commercial disputes that may be handled as civil suits in the United States can escalate to criminal cases in Singapore and may result in heavy fines and prison sentences. There are also some things that might be legal in Singapore but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

Mandatory Caning Sentences: Singapore has a mandatory caning sentence for vandalism offenses. Authorities in Singapore may also impose caning for immigration violations and other offenses. Singaporean authorities do impose these sentences on foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens. Males over the age of 50 and women are not subject to caning.

Mandatory Death Penalty for Many Narcotics Offenses: Singapore police have the authority to compel both residents and non-residents to submit to random drug analysis. They do not distinguish between drugs consumed before or after entering Singapore in applying local laws. In Singapore, detained U.S. citizens have been surprised when they were arrested for violations that would not have resulted in arrest in the United States.

There are no jury trials in Singapore. Judges hear cases and decide sentencing. The Government of Singapore does not provide legal assistance except in capital cases; legal assistance may be available in some other cases through the Law Society.

Carrying Firearms: There are very strict penalties for those who possess or carry arms, or who commit crimes with arms. Singaporean authorities define “arm” as any firearm, air-gun, air-pistol, automatic gun, automatic pistol, and any other kind of gun or pistol from which any shot, bullet, or other projectiles can be discharged or from which noxious liquid, flame, or fumes can be emitted, and any component thereof. This definition also includes any bomb or grenade and any component thereof. The unlawful possession of any arm or ammunition, including a single bullet in your luggage as you transit the airport, could result in imprisonment and caning. If you are convicted of committing a crime with an arm, you could receive punishment which could result in the maximum penalty of imprisonment for life and caning.

Engaging in sexual conduct: In Singapore, local law prohibits causing or encouraging prostitution of, or engaging in sexual relations with, a female below the age of 18. An indecent assault against anyone, male or female, regardless of age, is also prohibited. If you are convicted of facilitating or abetting the prostitution of any woman or girl, you could be sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years and a fine, or both. If the crime involves a female below the age of 16, you face an additional charge carrying a possible sentence of imprisonment of up to three years and a fine, or both.

Singapore enforces strict laws pertaining to the propriety of behavior between people and the modesty of individuals. The Singaporean law “Outrage of Modesty” is defined as an assault or use of criminal force on any person with the intent to, or the knowledge that it may, outrage the modesty of that person. Penalties may include imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, caning, or a combination thereof. Men are sometimes accused of inappropriately touching other people, often women, resulting in their prosecution and punishment under this Singaporean law. Scams involving a claim of outrage of modesty are thought to exist, and male travelers should be very cautious when frequenting popular nightspots.

Arrest notifications in Singapore: If you are arrested in Singapore, authorities of Singapore are required to notify the U.S. Embassy of your arrest. If you are concerned the Embassy may not be aware of your situation, you should request the police or prison officials to notify the Embassy of your arrest.

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Good medical care is widely available in Singapore. Doctors and hospitals expect immediate payment for health services by credit card or cash and generally do not accept U.S. health insurance. Hospitals may require a substantial deposit before admitting you into the hospital for any major medical treatment. The U.S. Embassy cannot provide a letter of guarantee for payment. Recipients of health care should be aware that Ministry of Health auditors in certain circumstances may be granted access to patient medical records without the consent of the patient, and in certain circumstances physicians may be required to provide information relating to the diagnosis or treatment without the patient's consent.

Despite vigorous mosquito eradication efforts, Singapore has had occasional outbreaks of mosquito-transmitted illnesses, such as dengue fever and the viral disease Chikungunya. For the most current health information regarding disease outbreaks in Singapore, visit the CDC’s website.

If you visit Singapore during a pandemic such as the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, you should expect that the Singapore government may order you to quarantine if you exhibit symptoms or have had contact with someone who has exhibited symptoms. Also, you should expect that you may be subject to quarantine if you were seated within several rows of a potentially infected person on a plane or public area or have recently traveled to countries more affected by the pandemic. You should also expect to encounter screening in public facilities such as the airport, hospitals, and museums. Please visit Singapore's Ministry of Health website for the most up-to-date information on infectious diseases in Singapore.

During the summer months, Singapore frequently experiences haze and air pollution caused by forest fires and the burning of agricultural waste in neighboring countries. Air pollution during these periods can reach levels considered hazardous to health. Please visit the website of Singapore’s National Environment Agency for the latest information on air pollution level.

Safety and Security

Threats of Terrorism: In 2001, plots were uncovered whereby Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a terrorist organization with links to Al Qaeda, identified several Singapore government and private targets associated with the United States for possible attacks. These plans were disrupted, and the JI organization in Singapore was largely dismantled. While there have been no attacks against U.S. facilities or citizens in Singapore or against Singaporean government facilities, extremist groups in Southeast Asia have launched attacks in neighboring countries and U.S. citizens traveling in the region should closely monitor the Bureau of Consular Affairs website for the latest Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. The Department of State remains concerned, however, that terrorist groups in the region could conduct attacks against locations where Westerners are known to congregate. Terrorist groups do not distinguish between official and civilian targets, and U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Singapore and neighboring countries should therefore exercise caution and remain vigilant about their surroundings, particularly in areas where U.S. citizens and other Westerners live, work, congregate, shop, or visit.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in Singapore, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Singapore is provided for general reference only and may not be completely accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Singapore has a highly developed and well-maintained road and highway network. Driving is done on the left-hand side of the road. Motorists should be particularly aware of motorcyclists, who often ignore lane markings. Public transportation and taxis are abundant, inexpensive, and reliable. All bus stops and trains have panels indicating all routes and stops. You should consider using these forms of transportation. The Automobile Association (AA) of Singapore provides roadside assistance, and the Land Transport Authority has rescue vehicles on the road at all hours. In addition, closed circuit cameras monitor all major roads. As with all laws in Singapore, those involving traffic rules, vehicle registration, and liability in case of accident are strictly enforced, and failure to follow them may result in criminal penalties.