Singapore

…that Singapore was once known as "Singapura." After the British arrived in 1819, "Singapura" became "Singapore.”

Here are a few more little-known facts about Singapore.

	Early Chinese accounts described Singapore as "Pu-luo-chung" (island at the end of a peninsula). By the 14th century, Singapore was known as Temasek (ancient sea town) due to its natural meeting point of sea routes at the tip of the Malay Peninsula.
	By the 15th century, the island of Singapore was known as Singapura, the Lion City, from the Malay words singa (lion) and pura (city). Legend states that a Sumatran prince, Sri Tri Buana, gave it that name when he came to the island in 1299 and saw a strange creature that he thought was a lion. (It is unlikely that there ever were lions in Singapore, though tigers roamed the island until the early twentieth century.)
	Singapore is made up of one main island and 63 surrounding islets, most of which are uninhabited. The country has only 646 square kilometers of land, about one fifth the size of Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state.
	Singapore is one of the busiest ports in the world with over 600 shipping lines with super tankers, container ships and passenger liners sharing the busy waters with coastal fishing vessels.
	The country has an exceptionally low crime rate, thanks to very strict law enforcement policies. People who do not obey the laws are fined or imprisoned. This includes spitting, littering, smoking in prohibited areas, chewing gum, jaywalking and neglecting to flush a toilet.
	Singapore's national flag consists of two horizontal halves, red above white. Red symbolizes universal brotherhood and equality of men; white, purity and virtue. In the upper left corner, a white crescent moon and five white stars form a circle. The crescent moon represents a young nation on the rise. The five stars stand for Singapore's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.
	The national flower of Singapore was bred in 1893 by Ashkhen Hovakimian (Agnes Joaquim), an Armenian. The orchid, named "Vanda Miss Joaquim" after her, is also known as the Singapore orchid, the Wah Kim orchid and the Princess Aloha orchid. It is a natural hybrid between V. teres and V. hookeriana.
	The Merlion, a half-fish, half-lion beast, is a fitting symbol of Singapore. The "Singa" or lion represents the animal that a Sumatran prince saw which resembled a lion, and the fish is a tribute to Singapore's history as "Temasek," the ancient sea town.
	Singlish is a Singaporean dialect mixing English with the odd phrase of Chinese, Malay and even Tamil. Singlish differs from English in terms of sentence structure, grammar as well as the frequent 'empty words' such as 'lah', 'leh', 'hor' and 'meh.' However, not all Singaporeans speak Singlish. Many of them do speak perfect English. Although English is the official working language and the most widely used language in Singapore, the national anthem "Majulah Singapura" is sung in Malay.
	The flying fox, the world's largest bat with a wingspan of up to 1.5 metres, can be found on Pulau Ubin, one of the islands off mainland Singapore.
	The world's highest man-made waterfall, standing at 30 metres, is located at the Jurong BirdPark.
	The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore contains more species of trees than the entire North American continent.
	Buildings in Singapore cannot be higher than 280 metres. There are presently three buildings of that height: OUB Centre, UOB Plaza and Republic Plaza.
	The buildings of Suntec City have been built in the shape of a palm of a hand symbolizing good "feng shui."
	In 2004, Singapore's Changi Airport won the award for "Best Airport Worldwide" for the 17th consecutive year from the UK/Europe edition of the Business Traveller magazine.
	The Guinness book record for the longest human domino chain was set in Singapore in 2000. Formed by 9,234 students, it measured 4.2km.
	The Great Singapore Duck Race, an annual event that raises funds for charity, set a new world record in 2002 when more than 123,000 toy ducks took to the Singapore River.
	The Singapore Sling was first served in 1915 at the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel. The ingredients are gin, Cointreau, cherry brandy, Dom Benedictine, pineapple juice, Grenadine, Angoustura bitters and limes.
	The Chinese community in Singapore considers red to be an auspicious color, as are other bright colors, while black is frowned upon by the older generation, especially during festive occasions.
	Singaporeans go barefoot inside their homes; shoes should be taken off at the front door during visits.
	Nearly 9 out of 10 Singaporeans live in public housing flats.
	The number 8 is a lucky number which means "get rich" and the number 4 is an unlucky number which means "death."
	Giving clocks in Chinese is "song zhong," which means "arrange for the burial of deceased parents or an elder." Other items that are associated with funerals are straw sandals and white candles.
	The group, rather than the individual, prevails in Singaporean business culture. Moreover, the individual identity is subsumed into the group. The oldest or most competent member usually assumes the leadership position.
	Punctuality is important for all business appointments. It is considered an insult to leave a Singaporean business executive waiting.
	Singapore is incredibly hot and humid all year long, with a temperature range of 75°F to 88°F [24°C to 31°C], and humidity above 90%. Because of this heat and humidity, business dress in Singapore is often casual.
For more information about life in the Singapore, click here.

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