Singapore isn’t just a city – it’s a whole
country! Alongside Monaco and the
Vatican City, it's one of the world's
few city-states. Despite its tiny size,
Singapore is one of Asia’s richest and
most powerful centres. The ultra-modern
metropolis is also a ‘city in a garden’,
surrounded by lush green spaces,
ancient rainforests and muddy wetlands.
A Real Mishmash
Singaporeans come from all over the world. You can hear the
languages, see the festivals and enjoy the music from Malaysia,
India, Europe and many other places. The largest group by far
however, traces its ancestry back to China. Mandarin, the biggest
language in multilingual China, is also Singapore’s most widely
spoken language.
TIME FOR A CHANGE
For such an organized city, Singapore
seems to be a little confused about time.
Since 1905, the city-state has changed its
time zone a staggering six times! These
have been prompted by events such
as the Japanese invasion during World
War Two, as well as time changes by its
nearest neighbour, Malaysia.
What’s a Merlion?
Singapore means ‘Lion City’. In Malay (the language spoken in the
Malaysian Peninsula and its islands), singa
means ‘lion’, and pura
means
‘city’. It sounds very grand, but the reason for the name is a bit of a
mystery. There have never been any lions in the area as far as anyone
knows, and the city’s official emblem is actually the ‘merlion’ – a half-fish,
half-lion statue that spits water into Marina Bay.
Let them eat Crab
All that diversity means one thing
for the people of Singapore –
amazing things to eat! This is one
of the world’s greatest food cities.
Locals go to enormous lengths to
find the best chilli crab, fish-head
curry or sambal
stingray (stingray in
a hot and spicy sauce).
Singapore’s Green Heart
Singapore’s reclaimed space isn’t just used for skyscrapers and apartments. The
Gardens by the Bay, a vast area of park and artificial forest designed to make the
city a greener, happier place, is built entirely on land taken back from the sea. It’s
no ordinary park, either. The Cloud Forest is planted up with the kinds of jungle
found on mountainsides in Southeast Asia and South America, while the Flower
Dome recreates the environment of Mediterranean countries such as Greece and
Spain. The Supertrees Grove cultivates ferns, vines and flowers on artificial trees
that tower up to 50m (164ft) high. Best of all, there’s a Children’s Garden, complete
with trampolines, balancing beams and rope bridges to clamber across!
Anti-Atlantis
Singapore is truly tiny, covering just 715 sq/km
(276 sq/mi). Although space is tight, the population
is high. Well over five million people call Singapore
home and that number is rising rapidly. So what’s
the solution for this rich, resourceful city? Just make
more land! Rather than sinking into the water,
Singapore is rising above it. By 2030, the city plans
to reclaim more than 56 sq/km (21.6 sq/mi) from the
surrounding ocean.
Night Safaris
Singapore has the world’s first
nocturnal zoo – the humid,
open-air park only opens its
gates after the sun goes down.
Zoologists know that lots of animals prefer to come out after dark, so
they decided to build a park that would allow people to watch them
when they are at their most active. Visitors ride trams or take night-
walking trails to observe the animals in habitats just like their
natural homes. Clouded leopards, flying foxes and spotted hyenas all
lurk in the shadows.