Singapore is situated at a narrow point of
the Strait of Malacca, off the
southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The small country is connected with
Malaysia by causeway. The land area in 1988 was about 636 square
kilometers, consisting of one main island and
58 islets. The main island is 42 kilometers long and 23
kilometers wide, with a coastline of 138 kilometers.
The
city-state-country is renowned worldwide as a thriving,
dynamic centre for commerce and industry, Singapore's central location,
excellent facilities, cleanliness, fascinating cultural contrasts and
tourist attractions draw an ever increasing number of visitors. It is a
place of many interesting sights, from historic ethnic areas like Little
India and Chinatown to tourist attractions like Sentosa, the Zoological
Gardens, Jurong Bird Park, Haw Par Villa (Chinese mythological theme
park), the Empress Place and Raffles Hotel. The feel of the island comes
from the cultural diversity of
Singapore. The population is made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians and
Eurasians. Although citizens of all races think of themselves as
Singaporean, there are still certain areas that are inhabited by
specific ethnic groups. Each area has its own culture celebrating its
own religion. Each religion has many colorful festivals to commemorate
days of special significance. The official languages are Malay,
Mandarin, Tamil and English. The national language is Malay. However,
virtually every Singaporean speaks English.
Singapore was mentioned in the Javanese
Nagarakretagama of 1365 as Temasek or Sea Town. A third-century account
described Singapore as Pu-luo-chung or island at the end of a peninsula.
Although its Sanskrit name Singapura (Lion City) was commonly used by
the end of the 14th century, written accounts on ancient Singapore are
sketchy.
In 1819, Singapore was established as a trading
station by Sir Stamford Raffles under an agreement between
the British East India Company and the Sultan of Johor and the Malay
ruler of the island. In 1824, Singapore was ceded in perpetuity to the
East India Company by the Sultan.During World War II, Singapore was
occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. Following the surrender of
Japan, Singapore was re-occupied by the Allied Forces.In August 1958,
the State of Singapore Act was passed in the United Kingdom Parliament
providing for the establishment of the State of Singapore. Singapore
achieved internal self-government on 3 June 1959. On 1 September 1962,
73 percent of the electorate voted in favour of merger with Malaysia.
Singapore became a part of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September
1963. The union was short-lived and Singapore separated from Malaysia on
9 August 1965 becoming a fully
independent and sovereign nation.
The city of Singapore revolves
around the Singapore River, which is still at the heart of the city. To
the south of the river mouth is the Central Business District that is
centered around Raffles Place. Along the riverbanks are the very popular
Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, which have been nicely renovated.
On to the southwest of the city is Chinatown,
which adjoins the Central Business District further inland from Robinson
Rd. South Bridge Rd runs through the center of Chinatown, while new
Bridge Rd further west is the main area for shopping.The colonial
district, which is just north of the river, has many reminders of the
rule of the British. Further north lies Little
India, which is centered on Serangoon Rd and Arab Street.
This is a very interesting and traditional area.Singapore's main tourist
area, with several luxury hotels and shopping centers, bars and
restaurants is in the colonial district where Bras Basah Rd heads
northwest to become Orchard Rd. To the south of Orchard Rd and west of
Chinatown is a much smaller and quieter group of hotels.
