NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Singapore City

The Republic of Singapore (Simplified Chinese: 新加坡共和国; Malay: Republik Singapura; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரசு), is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, situated on the southern tip of Malay Peninsula, south of the state of Johor of Peninsular Malaysia and north of the Indonesian islands of Riau. Its coordinates are 1° 17′ 35″ N 103° 51′ 20″ E (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=1_17_35_N_103_51_20_E_). Flag ratio: 2:3. ... Coat of Arms of Singapore The national coat of arms (or state crest) was first launched on December 3, 1959 together with the national flag and national anthem at the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara at the City Hall steps. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... This is a list of national anthems. ... Majulah Singapura (Malay for Onward Singapore) is Singapores national anthem. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Standard Mandarin refers to the official Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China on Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... The consonant ழ் believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil of Tamilians is a Dravidian language predominantly spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... This is a list of countries categorized by system of government currently in use. ... Flag of the President of Singapore The President of Singapore is the head of state, being elected by universal suffrage since 1993. ... The Prime Minister of Singapore is the elected head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior of August 9, 1965, the State of Singapore), being the leader of the largest party in the unicameral Parliament. ... The Westminster System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system of government and used in Westminster, the seat of government, hence its name. ... De jure (in Classical Latin de iure) is an expression that means by law, as contrasted with de facto, which means in fact. The terms de jure and de facto are used like in principle and in practice when one is describing political situations. ... A dominant-party system is a party system where only one political party can realistically become the government, by itself or in a coalition government, because all other parties are too weak. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Categories: Stub | 1924 births | Tamil people | Singaporean people | Singaporean politicians ... Lee Hsien Loong (Hanzi: 李显龙/李顯龍; born February 10, 1952) is the third Prime Minister of Singapore. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The figures in this table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers. ... This is a list of the worlds economies sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP) at market or government official exchange rates. ... In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is a method used to calculate an alternative exchange rate between the currencies of two countries. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. ... The Singapore dollar, divided into 100 cents, is the monetary unit of Singapore (currency code SGD). ... ISO 4217 is an international standard describing three letter codes to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization or ISO. The first two letters of the code are the two letters of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes (which are similar to those used... -1... Daylight saving time (also called DST, or Summer Time) is the portion of the year in which a regions local time is advanced by (usually) one hour from its standard official time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .sg is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Singapore. ... A city-state is a region controlled exclusively by a city. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiǎntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiǎnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... The consonant ழ் believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil of Tamilians is a Dravidian language predominantly spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... An island nation is a country that is wholly confined to an island or islands. ... A city-state is a region controlled exclusively by a city. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... Peninsular Malaysia (or Semenanjung Malaysia in the Malay language) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the worlds largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Categories: Indonesia geography stubs | Provinces of Indonesia ...

Established as a trading port by the British in the early 19th century, Singapore became a centre of British influence in Southeast Asia. Upon achieving independence from Malaysia in 1965, the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, now also known as Singapore's "Minister Mentor", advanced Singapore from a third world to first world nation. Singapore is known for its lack of corruption compared to most other Southeast Asian governments, and for being one of the East Asian Tigers. Singapore has one of the highest per capita gross domestic products in the world. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... The Prime Minister of Singapore is the elected head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior of August 9, 1965, the State of Singapore), being the leader of the largest party in the unicameral Parliament. ... Lee Kuan Yew (born September 16, 1923) (Chinese: 李光耀, Pinyin: Lǐ Guāng Yào), also known as Lee Kan-You or Harry Lee Con-You, was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... The terms First World, Second World, and Third World were used to divide the nations of Earth into three broad categories. ... This article is about political corruption. ... The East Asian Tigers, sometimes also referred to as Asias Four Little Dragons, referred to the economies of Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore; these territories and nations were noted for maintaining high growth rates and rapid industrialization between the early 1960s and 1990s. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ...

In spite of practices such as the ban of imports of chewing gum, that have led some to label it a "nanny state" — authoritarian government intervention in social issues to the extent of behaving like overly concerned parents — Singapore is a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia. National service is mandatory, and Singapore maintains as many as 225,000 operationally ready National Servicemen and has one of the most advanced air forces in Southeast Asia, even though Singapore has not been engaged in military conflict since World War II. Singapore has had a thorny relationship with its northern neighbour Malaysia over disagreements regarding issues such as the sale of water. However, Malaysia remains a vital, albeit partial, hinterland. The term nanny state, used especially in the United Kingdom, is a derogatory term for government intervention, especially in social issues. ... National Service was the name given to the system of military conscription employed in Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland) between 1949 and 1960. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... The hinterland is the rural territory associated with an urban area, often a port. ...

History

Main article: History of Singapore Singapore played a relatively minor role in the history of Southeast Asia until 1819, when the Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded a British port on the island. ...

The first recorded mention of Singapore is in Chinese texts dating back to the 3rd century. The island served as an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and originally bore the Javanese name Temasek. Temasek rose to become a significant trading city in its heyday, but later declined in significance. Most of the remnants of old Temasek no longer exist in Singapore other than archaeological evidence. The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. ... (2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century - other centuries) Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatara and Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest part of Indonesia. ... Srivijaya (-jaya meaning success or excellence) was an ancient kingdom on the island of Sumatra which was to influence much of the Malay Archipelago. ... Javanese language is the spoken language of the people in the central and eastern part of the island of Java, in Indonesia. ... Temasek, or Sea Town, was probably the name of an early city on the site of modern Singapore. ... Excavation is just one stage of archaeological research. ...

In the 15th and 16th century, Singapore was a part of the Sultanate of Johor. During the Malay-Portugal wars in 1617, Singapura was set ablaze by the Portuguese forces. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic monarch ruling under the terms of shariah. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... Malay can mean: The Malay language The Malay people From or related to Malaysia See also Cape Malays Malay nationalism Communes that begin with Malay in Yonne, France: Malay-le-Grand Malay-le-Petit This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... Events Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed I (1603-1617) to Mustafa I (1617-1623). ...

In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, an official with the British East India Company, established Singapore as a trade post and settlement, having made a treaty with the Sultan of Johore. Singapore was later made a crown colony in 1867 after a number of territorial expansions. It soon prospered economically as an entrepot town owing to its strategic location near the busy shipping routes. 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (6 July 1781 - 5 July 1826) was the founder of the city (now country) of Singapore, and is one of the best-known of the many Britons who created the largest empire the world has ever seen. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company of investors, which was granted a Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favor trade privileges in India. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... 1867 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... An entrepôt is a trading centre, or simply a warehouse, where merchandise can be imported and re-exported without paying import duties. ...

During World War II, Japanese forces seized Malaya and the surrounding region. Despite numerical superiority the unprepared British were defeated, surrendering in 1942 to the Japanese. The Japanese renamed Singapore as Syonan-to (Light of the South) and held it till September 1945, when they were defeated by the Allies. In 1959, Singapore became a self-governing crown colony with Lee Kuan Yew from the People's Action Party (PAP) becoming the first Prime Minister of Singapore following the 1959 elections. After a national referendum, it later joined the Federation of Malaysia along with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as an autonomous territory on September 1963 till August 1965. 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area - Total - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ... September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... Lee Kuan Yew (born September 16, 1923) (Chinese: 李光耀, Pinyin: Lǐ Guāng Yào), also known as Lee Kan-You or Harry Lee Con-You, was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. ... The Peoples Action Party (PAP) is a political party in Singapore. ... The 1962 Merger Referendum of Singapore was a referendum held in Singapore on September 1, 1962, which called for people to vote on the terms of merger with Malaysia. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... Map of Sabah in East Malaysia Sabah (Jawi:صباح) is one of the two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. ... Map of Sarawak in East Malaysia Sarawak (Jawi:سراواك) is one of the two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ... September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... Events January-February January 11 - The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. ... August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...

After intense ideological conflict developed between the People's Action Party and the Federal Government in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore was expelled from Malaysia on 7 August 1965, gaining official sovereignty two days later on August 9 with Malaysia becoming the first country to recognize it as a sovereign nation. Among the problems the fledgling nation faced included mass unemployment, housing problems, lack of natural resources and land. From 1959 to 1990, Lee Kuan Yew was Prime Minister. During his term , his administration curbed unemployment, raised the standard of living, developed Singapore's economic revenue and infrastructure, and overcame Singapore's initial problems of lack of housing, social stability and independent national defence. This elevated the nation to become that of a developed status, initially termed a developing nation. The sometimes tumultous relationship between the Peoples Action Party and United Malays National Organisation, which were, and still are, the ruling parties respectively of Singapore and Malaysia, has impacted the recent history of both States. ... The Peoples Action Party (PAP) is a political party in Singapore. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Lee Kuan Yew (born September 16, 1923) (Chinese: 李光耀, Pinyin: Lǐ Guāng Yào), also known as Lee Kan-You or Harry Lee Con-You, was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. ... A developed country is a country that is technologically advanced and that enjoys a relatively high standard of living. ... A developing country is a country with low average income compared to the world average. ...

In 1990, Goh Chok Tong, took office as the second Prime Minister seeing the country through crises such as the 1997 Asian economic crisis and the SARS outbreak in 2003, as well as the elimination of most of the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist cells in Singapore. On August 12, 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew took over as the third Prime Minister of Singapore after securing the confidence of the Parliament, which till today is still ruled by the PAP. Goh Chok Tong (Chinese: 吴作栋, Hanyu Pinyin: Wú Zuòdòng; born May 20, 1941), was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from November 26, 1990 to August 12, 2004, having had succeeded Lee Kuan Yew. ... The Asian financial crisis was a financial crisis that started in July 1997 in Thailand, and affected currencies, stock markets, and other asset prices of several Asian countries, many part of the East Asian Tigers. ... Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an atypical form of pneumonia. ... The War on terrorism or War on terror is a global effort by the governments of several countries (primarily the United States and its principal allies) to neutralize international groups it deems as terrorist (primarily radical Islamist terrorist groups, including al-Qaida) and insure rogue nations no longer support terrorist... Jemaah Islamiyah, sometimes rendered Jemaah Islamiah, is a militant Islamic separatist movement, suspected of killing hundreds of civilians, dedicated to the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic state in Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and the south of Thailand and the Philippines. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Lee Hsien Loong (Hanzi: 李显龙/李顯龍; born February 10, 1952) is the third Prime Minister of Singapore. ... In political science confidence refers to a governments support in the legislature. ...

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Singapore, Laws of Singapore Singapore is a republic with a Westminister system of parliamentary government, as outlined in the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore [1]. The legislative branch of government is the parliament, where members are elected by popular vote. ... Laws in Singapore are moderately strict and aimed at instilling a self-disciplined society with restrictions and harsh punishments for example caning and execution. ...

Singapore has a Westminster-style constitution. There is an elected figurehead president, who has veto powers in a few key decisions—such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary positions. True executive power rests with the Prime Minister who leads the majority party in the elected Parliament. The Merlion is the national emblem of Singapore. ... The Westminster System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system of government and used in Westminster, the seat of government, hence its name. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... A figurehead is a person, usually in a political role, who may hold an important title or office yet executes little actual power. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... Alternative meaning: Prime Minister (band) A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ...

In practice, politics is dominated by the People's Action Party which has ruled since Independence. Over the years the PAP has been accused of taking overly harsh actions against opposition parties to discourage and impede their success, such as gerrymandering (redrawing electoral districts to one's own favour). Since most people are supportive or apathetic regarding PAP policies, the opposition parties are stereotypically associated with the truly political passionate. There are also several cases of government leaders taking out civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander. J. B. Jeyaretnam, leader of the opposition Workers' Party of Singapore, was brought down by a series of suits from the ruling party and was declared bankrupt in 2001, disbarring and preventing him from taking part in future elections. Many student activists have also been repeatedly suppressed. The Peoples Action Party (PAP) is a political party in Singapore. ... Redrawing electoral districts in this example creates a guaranteed 3-to-1 advantage for Party 1. ... Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (born 1926), usually J.B. Jeyaretnam and often abbreviated JBJ, is a Singaporean politician. ... Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ...

Critics point out that in any case brought before the Singaporean courts involving the PAP or the Singapore Government, and claim judges have always ruled in their favour, although a few instances of successful opposition suits have been recorded. Western democracies consider the form of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism rather than true democracy, and could be considered an illiberal democracy or procedural democracy. The term authoritarian is used to describe an organization or a state which enforces strong and sometimes oppressive measures against the population, generally without attempts at gaining the consent of the population. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... An illiberal democracy is a country in which the leaders and lawmakers are elected by the people, but individual freedoms such as those protected in the United States Bill of Rights or the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen do not exist. ...

Despite this, Singapore has what many consider to be a highly successful and transparent market economy. Singapore was originally known as a social democracy, but the PAP has consistently rejected the notion of being socialist. One difference from a social democracy could be the sense that it uses public opinion and feedback to make policies instead of rigorous lawmaking procedures. However, the PAP's policies contain certain aspects of socialism, which includes government owned public housing constituting the majority of real estate and the dominance of government owned and controlled companies in the local economy. The PAP has also consistently rejected Western democratic values in the past, with former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew citing incompatibilities with "Asian values". Most recently, the PAP has promulgated the loosening of social conservative policies and policies to encourage the proliferation of enterpreneurs but the effects of both efforts have not been completely manifested. A market economy is a term used to describe an economy where economic decisions, such as pricing of goods and services, are made in a decentralized manner by the economys participants and manifested by trade. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... Asian values was a concept popular in the 1990s, which argued for a unique set of Asian institutions and political ideologies, involving authoritarian government (as opposed to the democratic values and institutions of the West). ...

Laws in Singapore are generally strict and aimed at instilling a self-disciplined society with restrictions and harsh punishments, for example caning and execution. Currently, pornography, oral sex, and anal sex (except as a precursor to heterosexual intercourse), are illegal in Singapore. Homosexual intercourse ("carnal intercourse against the order of nature") is illegal with possible punishment of life imprisonment and caning. This issue is being actively addressed, however, by the Singapore gay movement. Magazines, newspapers, movies and TV shows have to undergo stringent government censorship before being released to the general public. Various minor offences could lead to heavy fines or caning; conviction of first-degree murder or drug trafficking, for example, and this almost always leads to the death penalty. Caning also refers to a method of weaving chair seats and other furniture. ... Death Penalty World Map Color Key: Blue: Abolished for all crimes Green: Abolished for crimes not committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war) Orange: Abolitionist in Practice Red: Legal Form of Punishment Criminal law Execution is the act of putting a person to death, with... Pornography (from Greek πορνογραφια pornographia — literally writing about or drawings of harlots) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but (according to some) distinct from, erotica. ... Oral sex consists of all those sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, tongue, etc. ... Roman man and youth having anal sex. ... Murder is both a legal and a moral term, that are not always coincident. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

In 1994, an American teenager, Michael Fay, aroused passionate media interest, and protest from the United States, after he was sentenced to six strokes of the cane for vandalism. The sentencing triggered a formal request from U.S. government not to carry out the sentence. The appeal was denied, but the sentence was commuted to four strokes. Michael Peter Fay is an American who was caned in Singapore on May 5, 1994 for theft and vandalism despite pleas from the US government and press for clemency. ... For Vandalism on Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Dealing with vandalism Vandalism is an act motivated by hostility to the arts and literature of a culture, or willful destruction or defacement of its built environment, construed to be in the spirit of the Germanic Vandals in their attacks on buildings of the...

Geography

Singapore's main territory is a diamond-shaped island with her surrounding smaller islands. There are two connections from Singapore to the state of Johor, Malaysia — One is a man-made causeway to the north, crossing the Tebrau Straits, and the other is the Tuas Second Link (called Linka Dua in Malaysia), a bridge in the western part of Singapore that connects to Johor. Peninsular Malaysia (or Semenanjung Malaysia in the Malay language) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... A small island in the Adriatic sea An island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock, that is completely surrounded by water. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... A causeway is an elevated road on elevated ground, usually across a broad body of water or wetland. ... In addition to the Causeway, a second land link between Singapore and Malaysia was opened to traffic on 2 January 1998: a twin-deck bridge which supports a dual-three lane carriageway linking Kampong Ladang at Tanjung Kupang, Johor to Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim at Tuas in Singapore. ...

Of Singapore's dozens of smaller islands, Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the larger ones. The highest point of Singapore is Bukit Timah, with a height of 164m or 538 feet. Jurong Island is an island of Singapore off Jurong in the southwest of the Singapore mainland. ... Pulau Tekong is the largest of Singapores outlying islands. ... Pulau Ubin is a small island (10 km²) situated north east of Singapore, beside Pulau Tekong. ... Sentosa is the fourth largest island of Singapore (not counting the main island), located off the southern coast of the main island. ... Bukit Timah, also known as District 11, is one of the premium locations within the island city-state of Singapore. ... metre or meter, see meter (disambiguation) The metre is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ...

Urban area used to exist solely at the southern mouth of the Singapore River, while the rest of the land was primary forest or used for agriculture. However, from the 1960's, these areas were developed for housing and towns, such that nearly 100% of Singapore is now urban. In addition, Singapore has reclaimed land with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5km² in the 1960s to 697.2km² today, and may grow by another 100km² by 2030. The Singapore River is a small river in terms of physical attributes, but of extreme historical importance to the country of Singapore, the political entity which shares its name. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ...

Since Singapore lacks natural freshwater rivers and lakes, the primary source of domestic water is rainfall, caught in reservoirs or catchment areas. Even though the climate generally gives Singapore abundant rainfall, it falls short of consumption by 50%, so it imports the remaining needed amount from Malaysia. More catchment and recycled water (called NEwater) or desalination facilities have been or are being built, to reduce reliance on foreign supply. For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ... Recycled water is wastewater that has been recovered for potable or nonpotable use, such as reclaimed water. ... Desalination refers to any of several processes that remove the excess salt and minerals from water in order to obtain fresh water suitable for animal consumption or for irrigation, sometimes producing table salt as a by-product. ...

Singapore's climate is tropical ("tropical rainforest climate" under the Köppen climate classification), with no distinct seasons. Its climate is characterised by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity and abundant rainfall. On cooler days, the temperature can be as low as 23ºC or as high as 34ºC on average. On average, the relative humidity is around 90% in the morning, to 60% in the afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100%. Singapore is a small, heavily urbanized, island city-state in Southeast Asia, located between Malaysia and Indonesia. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... Humidity is the quantity of moisture in the air. ... Relative humidity is the ratio of the current vapor pressure of water in any gas (especially air) to the vapor pressure at which the gas would become saturated at the current temperature, normally expressed as a percentage (of what to what?). Equivalently, it is the ratio of the current mass...

The Singapore River is a small river in terms of physical attributes, but of extreme historical importance to the country of Singapore, the political entity which shares its name. ...

Economy

As one of the East Asian Tigers, Singapore enjoys a highly developed and successful free-market economy, characterised by a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector, which caused the GDP that year to contract by 2.2%. The Economic Review Committee (ERC), set up in December 2001, made key recommendations in remaking Singapore's economy. The economy has since recovered in response to improvements in the world economy, and grew by 8.4% in 2004. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. The per capita GDP in 2003 was US$25,200. In the fourth quarter of 2004, the unemployment rate was 3.7%. Downtown Honolulu in Hawaii, United States, an example of an urban downtown district Central business district (CBD) and downtown are terms referring to the commercial heart of a city. ... Singapore Exchange (SGX) is the stock exchange in Singapore. ... The East Asian Tigers, sometimes also referred to as Asias Four Little Dragons, referred to the economies of Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore; these territories and nations were noted for maintaining high growth rates and rapid industrialization between the early 1960s and 1990s. ... A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... This article is about political corruption. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... Electronics is the study and use of electrical devices that operate by controlling the flow of electrons or other electrically charged particles in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. ... Manufacturing is the transformation of raw materials into finished goods for sale, or intermediate processes involving the production or finishing of semi-manufactures. ... A recession is usually defined in macroeconomics as a fall of a countrys Gross National Product in two successive quarters. ... Technology ( Gr. ...

Singapore has become noted among international travellers as an exciting travel destination, making tourism one of the largest industries in Singapore. Its cultural diversity reflects its rich colonial history and Malay, Chinese, Arab and Indian ethnicities. For many years considered to be the business hub of Southeast Asia, Singapore has an expansive shopping precinct located in the Orchard Road district. Filled with several multistorey shopping centres, the area also has many hotels, and is regarded by many as the tourism centre of Singapore. The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ... The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. ... Arab (disambiguation). ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... Orchard Road is the primary shopping street of Singapore. ...

Other popular tourist attractions include the Singapore Zoo and its Night Safari, which allows people to explore Asian, African and South American habitats at night, without any visible barriers between guests and the wild animals. The Singapore Zoo has embraced the 'open zoo' concept whereby animals are kept in enclosures, separated from visitors by hidden dry or wet moats, instead of caging the animals. Also famous is the Jurong Bird Park, wherein there are specimens of magnificent bird life from around the world, including a flock of one thousand flamingos. The tourist island of Sentosa, located in the south of Singapore, consists of about 20-30 landmarks. Built as a fortress to defend against the Japanese during World War 2, the guns can be seen at Fort Siloso, from a mini sized to a 16 pounder (7 kg) gun. Recently, the island has built the Carlsberg Sky Tower, which allows visitors to view the whole of Sentosa. Looking forward, Singapore is going to have two integrated resorts with casinos in 2009, one at Marina Bayfront and the other at Sentosa which the government announced during a parliament session on 18 April 2005. Orchard Road is the primary shopping street of Singapore. ... Hotel is the letter H in the NATO phonetic alphabet. ... Singapore Zoological Gardens operates two zoological parks in Singapore - Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. ... The term Asian can refer to something or someone from Asia. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... For the seminal American doo-wop group, best known for I Only Have Eyes for You (1959), see The Flamingos. ... Sentosa is the fourth largest island of Singapore (not counting the main island), located off the southern coast of the main island. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... For other uses, see Casino (disambiguation). ...

See also: Tourism in Singapore Singapore has become noted among international travellers as an exciting travel destination. ...

Transportation

Singapore's existence could have been tied to the transportation industry since its infancy, and that remains true even today with a contribution of over 10% of gross domestic product annually despite an increasingly diversified economy. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... The word economy can refer to any of several things: the economy of the world — see world economy the economy of a country — see economics and economic system Hydrogen economy Judicial economy Political economy Plutonium economy Economy (Eastern Orthodoxy) (concerning a bishops discretionary power to relax rules) Economy, Indiana...

The Port of Singapore, run by port operators PSA International (formerly the Port of Singapore Authority) and Jurong Port, is the world's busiest in terms of shipping tonnage handled. 1.04 billion gross tons (GT) were handled in the year 2004, crossing the one billion mark for the first time in Singapore's maritime history. Singapore also emerged as the top port in terms of cargo tonnage handled with 393 million tonnes of cargo in the same year, pipping the port in Rotterdam for the first time in the process. Singapore is ranked second globally in terms of containerised traffic, with 21.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled in 2004., and retains her position as the World's busiest hub for transhipment traffic. She is also the world's biggest bunkering hub, with 23.6 million tonnes sold in 2004. Singapore Changi Airport (新加坡樟宜机场 / Bandar Udara Changi Singapura / சிங்கப்பூர் சாங்கி விமானநிலையம்) in the city and State of Singapore is one of the largest aviation facilities in Asia. ... 2008 is a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Port of Singapore, run by port operators PSA International (formerly the Port of Singapore Authority) and Jurong Port, is the worlds busiest in terms of shipping tonnage handled. ... Rotterdam Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands (after Amsterdam), located in the province of South Holland. ... Containers in the port of Kotka (Finland) on the Baltic Sea. ...

In the aviation business, the Singapore Changi Airport, situated at the eastern end of the island, serves as a major air hub for the region and beyond, particularly as a stopover point for the "Kangaroo route" between Australasia and Europe. As one of the top 5 airports of Asia in terms of passengers handled, it crossed the 30 million passenger mark for the first time in its history in the year 2004. In anticipation of a rise in demand both in the regular and low-cost sectors, a third passenger terminal and a low-cost terminal are currently under construction, which will increase the airport's total capacity to 66.7 million passengers annually by 2008. The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) refers to Singapores metro system. ... Singapore Changi Airport (新加坡樟宜机场 / Bandar Udara Changi Singapura / சிங்கப்பூர் சாங்கி விமானநிலையம்) in the city and State of Singapore is one of the largest aviation facilities in Asia. ... The kangaroo route is a term to denote flights between Europe and Australasia, with a stopover along the Southeast Asia flight corridor. ... Australasia is the area that includes Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the many smaller islands in the vicinity, most of which are the eastern part of Indonesia. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... Boeing 737-200 of low-cost Irish airline Ryanair A low-cost carrier (also known as a no-frills or discount carrier) is an airline that offers low fares but eliminates most traditional passenger services. ... 2008 is a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Within Singapore, transportation includes the heavy rail passenger Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system, an extensive expressway and road system, and a nationwide system of taxis and buses. During hours of heavy road traffic, cars may be subject to toll by an Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system. Recently, there has been an increase in complaints of rising fares, although the government asserts that this is due to world inflation. The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) refers to Singapores metro system. ... The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme in Singapore is a form of congestion charging through electronic toll collection. ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ...

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Singapore, Religion in Singapore Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. ... Singapore is generally a multi-religious country, mainly due to its strategic location and the variety of religious beliefs that most Singaporeans hold. ...

Apart from the much smaller Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated independent country in the world. 84% of Singaporeans live in public housing provided by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). ¹ A velotaxi, also known as a pedicab, cycle rickshaw or trishaw (from tricycle rickshaw), is a human-powered vehicle for hire, usually with one or two seats for carrying passengers in addition to the driver. ... The Principality of Monaco or Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco or Monaco; Monegasque: Munegu or Principatu de Munegu) is a city state and the second-smallest country in the world, wedged in between the Mediterranean Sea and France along the French Riviera or Côte dAzur (The Blue Coast). ... List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The figures in this table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers. ... Public housing describes a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. ... HDB Logo The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the government agency responsible for Singapores public housing programme. ...

Singapore's population, though small at around four million, is relatively diverse compared to most other countries, although neighbour Malaysia also features a multiracial population. The Chinese, who constituted the majority of the island population since the colonial days, account for 76.8% of Singaporeans. Malay, who are the indigenous native group of the country, constitute 13.9%, though this number includes many Malay ethnic groups from other parts of the Malay archipelago including the Javanese, Bugis, Baweans and Minangs. Indians are the second largest minority ethnic group at 7.9% which consist of several groups — Tamils, who form the largest Indian group and others such as Malayalees, Punjabis and Bengalis. The rest are made up of smaller groups such as the Arabs and the Eurasians. Chinese Singaporean is a term that refers to Singaporeans who are of Chinese descent. ... The term Malay Singaporeans refers to Singaporeans of Malay descent. ... Javanese language is the spoken language of the people in the central and eastern part of the island of Java, in Indonesia. ... The Bugis are a people from the island of Sulawesi or Celebes in Indonesia. ... Tamil New Year Ethnic problems In India After independence, Tamilians felt they and their dravidian race were ignored by the North Indians. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (sometimes spelt Panjab) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... For the breed of cat, see Bengal cat; for the tiger, see Bengal Tiger; for the American football franchise , see Cincinnati Bengals Bengal (Banga, Bangla, Bangadesh, or Bangladesh in Bengali) comprises a region in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, today divided between the independent country of Bangladesh and the... The term Arab Singaporean refers to a Singaporean of Arab descent. ...

Singapore is generally a multi-religious country, mainly due to its strategic location and the variety of religious beliefs that most Singaporeans hold. More than 40% of the Singaporeans adhere to Mahayana Buddhism, the main faith of the Chinese population of Singapore, who constitute around 77% of the country's population. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and ancestral worship are merged into one by most Chinese adherents to Buddhism. Most Muslims are Malay, but a few Indian Muslims exist. Relief image of the bodhisattva Guan Yin from Mt. ... Chinese Singaporean is a term that refers to Singaporeans who are of Chinese descent. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام, listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

The government of Singapore has been careful to maintain ethnic harmony after racial riots erupted in the 1960s. Racial harmony has been emphasized in all aspects of society, including Singapore's education policy, military and housing. So far the policy has been largely successful, and there have been few signs of ethnic tension since the early 1970s. Issues exist such as bans on fundamentalist evangelical Christian activities such as groups like Jehovah's Witness and the Islamic headscarf in public schools. Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Jehovahs Witnesses (JW) are members of a worldwide Christian denomination. ...

The official languages of Singapore are English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English has been promoted as the country's lingua franca since independence, and it is spoken by the majority of the population. Malay remains Singapore's national language for historical reasons and it is used in the national anthem. To promote Chinese culture and the use of Mandarin, the government has introduced a "Speak Mandarin Campaign". The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Standard Mandarin refers to the official Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China on Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... The consonant ழ் believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil of Tamilians is a Dravidian language predominantly spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ... Majulah Singapura (Malay for Onward Singapore) is Singapores national anthem. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Singapore Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of Chinese, Malay and Indian migrants, there appears little in the way of specifically Singaporean culture. ...

As Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of semi-indigenous Malay population with the majority Chinese and the minority Indian and Arab migrants with little intermarriage, there appears little in the way of specifically Singaporean culture. However, there exists a community of Peranakan or "Straits Chinese", of mixed Chinese and Malay descent and a steadily increasing Eurasian community. The major public holidays in Singapore reflect this diversity, including the religious holidays of various denominations. The term Malay Singaporeans refers to Singaporeans of Malay descent. ... Chinese Singaporean is a term that refers to Singaporeans who are of Chinese descent. ... The term Arab Singaporean refers to a Singaporean of Arab descent. ... Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya (峇峇娘惹) and Straits Chinese (after the Straits of Malacca) (土生華人) are terms used for the descendants of the early Chinese immigrants to Malacca on the Malay Peninsula, who spread through the British Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang, and as far south as Indonesia. ... Singaporean Eurasians are a small ethnic minority in Singapore. ... Holidays in Singapore The major public holidays in Singapore reflect the diversity of the country, including the Chinese New Year, Buddhist Vesak Day, Muslim Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha (known locally by its Malay names Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji respectively), Hindu Diwali (known locally by...

Officially, the English used is modelled on British English (spelling and grammar), with some American English influences. The local colloquial dialect of English is known formally as Singapore Colloquial English (though it is more commonly called "Singlish"), and has many creole-like characteristics, having incorporated much vocabulary and grammar from various Chinese dialects, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is basically identical to Manglish (the English dialect of Malaysia), and is the usual language on the streets, but is frowned upon in official contexts, and this matter has been brought up in recent years in the Parliament and the ruling party. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Diagram showing the geographical locations of selected languages and dialects of the British Isles. ... American English or U.S. English is the diverse form of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ... Singlish is the English-based creole spoken colloquially in Singapore. ... Singlish is the English-based creole spoken colloquially in Singapore. ... A creole is a language descended from a pidgin that has become the native language of a group of people. ... Spoken Chinese The Chinese spoken language(s) comprise(s) many regional variants. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... Singlish is the English-based creole spoken colloquially in Singapore. ... Manglish is the version of the English language as spoken in Malaysia and is similar to Singlish in Singapore. ... The Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. ...

Singapore also has several ethnic neighborhoods, including a "Little India" and a "Chinatown", formed by the Raffles Plan of Singapore to segregate the new immigrants into specific areas. Although the population are no longer segregated in distribution mainly due to the policies of the HDB now, these ethnic neighbourhoods retain selective elements of their specific culture. The usage of such neighbourhoods is mostly commercial or for a cottage industry specific to the culture of its ethnic neighbourhood, and does not play a big part in housing the population, although it is used for that purpose. Hence, these neighbourhoods have a diverse patronage who probably wish to either eat or buy something specific to that culture. HDB Logo The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the government agency responsible for Singapores public housing programme. ... A cottage industry is an industry – primarily manufacturing – which includes many producers, working from their homes, typically part time. ...

In other parts of the country, segregation is discouraged and diversity encouraged. This can often be found in the policies of the HDB, which try to make sure there is a mix of all races within each housing district. The effect of this can be observed in all parts of the country; for example a store devoted to selling Malay food might be right next to stores selling Chinese or Indian goods. This, in return, is thought by some to foster social cohesion and national loyalty, which are crucial for sustaining Singapore's growth. HDB Logo The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the government agency responsible for Singapores public housing programme. ... Malay can mean: The Malay language The Malay people From or related to Malaysia See also Cape Malays Malay nationalism Communes that begin with Malay in Yonne, France: Malay-le-Grand Malay-le-Petit This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... When used as an adjective, Chinese refers to anything that originates from China, , Chinese cuisine. ... Indian or Indians can refer to: Anything from or related to the country of India, including: The people of India, sometimes called Asian Indians to differentiate from American Indians The many languages of India The Indian subcontinent or the adjoining Indian Ocean Native Americans, the aboriginal people of the Americas...

Religious tolerance has been strongly encouraged since the British colonised Singapore; South Bridge Street, which was a major road through the old Chinatown, served as home to the Sri Mariamman Temple (a south Indian Hindu temple that was declared a national history site in the 1980s), as well as the Masjid Jamae Mosque that served Chulia Muslims from India's Coromandel Coast. Among other religious landmarks is the Armenian Church of Gregory the Illuminator, that was built in 1836, making it the oldest church in Singapore. It has been preserved until the present day, and Orthodox services continue to be held in it. Although orthodox religions are tolerated, some groups are banned (Jehovah's Witnesses, for example). The Societies Act forces all organizations, including churches, to be approved by the government. Saint Gregory the Illuminator (in Armenian Gregor Lusarovitch, in Greek Gregarios Phoster or Photistes), the founder and patron saint of the Armenian Orthodox Church, was born about 257 AD. He belonged to the royal race of the Arsacides, being the son of a certain Prince Anak, who assassinated Chosroes of...

People with alternative sexual lifestyles such as homosexuals are generally marginalized and ostracized by Singaporean society. "Unnatural sex" between two men is liable to prosecution and conviction under Singapore law. Politically, this tension has been the subject of much debate both inside and outside of Singapore, and the outcome of public debate remains to be seen. There is no current legislative proposal to resolve this, and legislation seems in favour of the status quo. In addition, under the Societies Act the government has not allowed any gay rights group to form and openly address the issue. A focal point may mean the same as focus. ...

Recently, since the late 1990's, the government has been striving to promote Singapore as a cultural centre for arts and culture, including theatre and music, presumably to increase tourism. This fits in with Singapore's status as a cosmopolitian and multi-racial society, often being called the "gateway between the East and West". This culminated with the construction of the Esplanade - "Theatres on the Bay" in 2003, a centre for performing arts. The efforts of the government's attempt for Singapore to be a cultural centre has its ironic moments in the press, such as the unfortunate nickname the structure soon acquired - "The Durian" - presumably because its rooftop bears similarity to the skin of a durian. For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed... This article needs cleanup. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Cosmopolitan, or simply Cosmo, is a magazine published monthly from New York by the Hearst Corporation. ... Adolf Hitler - an example of visual irony Irony is a form of speech in which the real meaning is concealed or contradicted by the words used. ... Species Durio dulcis Durio graveolens Durio kutejensis Durio oxlevanus Durio zibethinus Durian (Durio) is a genus of 25-30 species of tropical trees native to southeast Asia. ...

Sport

Soccer

For its small size, Singapore has done well regionally in soccer, becoming champions in the Tiger Southeast Asian Cup in 2004. The striker (wearing red jersey) has run past the defender (in white jersey) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to stop the ball. ...

Many of the national players are plying their trade in the local football league, the S-League.

Tourism in Singapore

Singapore has a well developed tourism industry, bringing in much foreign exchange. As a cosmopolitan city featuring a harmonised diversity of races and cultures, many visitors visit Singapore as a destination in itself, rather than just as a stepping stone or transit stop. In finance, the exchange rate between two currencies specifies how much one currency is worth in terms of the other. ... The term cosmopolitan refers to an individual who retains cultural roots in his or her country of origin, yet has adopted a wide taste for other cultures, and so lives both a local and global life. ...

Miscellaneous

Singapores telecommunications and telephone facilities are state-of-the-art, providing high-quality communications with the rest of the world. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The sovereign nation of Singapore is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement. ... The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is managed by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), which is headed by the Minister of Defence. ...

References

January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ...