The name “Singapore” is a combination of the Sanskrit words singa – “lion” and pura – “city”. According to legend, Sang Nila Utama, the prince of Sumatra, was caught at sea by a storm during a sea trip. Fleeing from the raging elements, he landed on an unfamiliar island. On the shore, the prince saw a strange beast with a red body, black head and white chest, which he mistook for a lion. Seeing this as a good omen, Sang Nila Utama founded a settlement on the island and named it in honor of the beast he saw Singapore – the City of the Lion.
Little is known about Singapore’s past. The first written mention of it dates back to about the 13th century. As historical chronicles testify, the island continually passed from one owner to another. In the XIV century. it was part of the Indonesian empire of Majapahit, in the 15th century. belonged to Siam, and in the XVII century. – Sultanate of Johor. In 1819, the Englishman Raffles arrived on the island and Singapore passed into the possession of the East India Company, and in 1824 became part of the British colony of the Straits Settlements. According to the census conducted in 1824, the population of the island increased to 11 thousand people. After clearing the jungle, Singapore became a major port, becoming one of the most important in the British Empire at the end of the 19th century. The main goods brought here were tea and silk from China, timber from Malaya and spices from Indonesia. The colony also imported opium and textiles from India, industrial products from England. The status of a free port attracted many merchants from different countries to Singapore, and soon it overtook other, much older British trading ports in this region in its development. Over time, ships that delivered oil from the Near and Middle East to Japan, ore from Australia to Europe, various goods from Europe and the USA could not bypass its port.
In 1960 – 90 years. there was a sharp development of Singapore by attracting foreign investment. On August 9, 1965, the state received sovereignty. Today Singapore is one of the largest commercial, industrial, financial, transport and tourist centers of Southeast Asia. Here, such high-tech export industries as electronic, opto-mechanical, and precision engineering are developing rapidly. Singapore is one of the largest oil refining centers, a recognized leader in the construction and repair of ships. He also managed to become the most important monetary and financial center of Southeast Asia.
Singapore is a member of the British Commonwealth, the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Religion in Singapore
Religions in Singapore are dominated by Confucianism, Buddhism and Islam. Christianity is also widespread.
Plant and Animal World in Singapore
Singapore’s natural vegetation is tropical rainforest, but most of it has been cleared and given over to agriculture, water tanks and urban development. The northern and northwestern regions remain the last untouched islands of equatorial vegetation, but most of them are cultivated and used as a garden and park area. Foci of forests have also been preserved on the islands. The largest area of untouched forest is the Bukit Timan Nature Reserve, home to over 800 varieties of native plants, including giant trees, ferns and flowering plants. There is also an extensive population of long-tailed macaques, lemurs, reticulated pythons, drongos and white-bellied sea eagles. Sungei-Buloh Natural Park, lying on wetlands,
Banks in Singapore
Banks are open from 10.00 to 15.00 on weekdays and from 9.30 to 11.30 on Saturdays. Street money changers offer a better rate than banks. ATMs operate around the clock.
Money in Singapore
Singapore’s currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD), which is divided into 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 1000 and 10,000 Singapore dollars and coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 dollar.
Eurochecks, as a rule, are not accepted, credit cards, on the contrary, are almost always accepted. The most widely used cards are American Express, Diners, Visa, MasterCard.
American dollars and euros are also accepted, but it must be taken into account that the exchange rate is unfavorable for the buyer.
In addition to banks and hotels, you can change money where there is a sign “Licensed Money Changer”. Most supermarkets have an official exchange office. It is not recommended to change money in offices that do not have a license.
Rate: 1 Singapore Dollar (SGD) = 0.73 USD
Political State in Singapore
Under the current constitution, Singapore is a sovereign state with a republican form of government. According to politicsezine, the head of state is the president, elected for 6 years, the legislature is the parliament. Executive power is exercised by the government headed by the Prime Minister, who has broad powers.
Singapore is part of the British Commonwealth.
Population in Singapore
Singapore is home to 2.8 million people. The population is dominated by Chinese (78%), Malays (14%) and Indians (7%). Also represented are Europeans (English, French, Portuguese), descendants from mixed marriages of Europeans with representatives of Asian peoples, Arabs and other nationalities.
Language:
The official languages in Singapore are Malay, Chinese, Indian (Tamil) and English. The Malay language is given the status of the state language, English is the language of office work and interethnic communication. The majority of Singapore’s population is bilingual and speaks English in addition to their mother tongue.
Cuisine in Singapore
Singaporean cuisine is a mixture of all the culinary traditions of the world. Here you can taste Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Indian, European, Mexican and Thai cuisines as well as works of culinary art from any country in the world. There is practically no own cuisine here – everything that can be seen or tasted in numerous restaurants, bars and cafes is borrowed, which turns this city-state into a paradise for gourmets all over the world. There are specially compiled “tasting routes” in Singapore. Popular dishes include rice chicken satay (local kebab), me goreng (fried noodles), rojak (local salad), as well as sweet dishes such as ice kachang (shaved ice with various fillings, poured with syrup) and goreng pisang (banana fritters). Singaporeans are especially proud of seafood dishes, among which the place of honor is occupied by the chili crab dish – fresh crabs fried in princepe and seasoned with garlic, soy and tomato sauce, red pepper and eggs. The most popular drinks in Singapore are Chinese tea, cognac, all kinds of gin cocktails with juices, British High Tea and Indian Dhosai.
