29 Fun Singapore Facts You'll Love - The World Pursuit

Singapore is less than 100 miles from the Equator. It has a tropical rainforest climate. There are no seasons. It's always between 25 to 35°C (77 to 95 °F). Yes ... Skiptocontent Menu GivenitslocationinSoutheastAsiaandlargeworld-classinternationalairport,Singaporeisastoponmanytravelers’itineraries.Beforevisiting,it’sbesttoeducateyourselfwithafewfunSingaporefacts–soyoucanimpressSingaporeansofcourse. Theskyscrapers,nightlife,cleanliness,andbeautifularchitecturemakeSingaporeidealforanyonetoenjoy.SingaporeisamassivecityandcountrywithsomuchhistoryandinterestingSingaporefactstolearn!Let’sdigintoacouple! InterestingandFunSingaporeFacts 1.ThesymbolofSingaporeistheMerlion,acreaturethatishalflionandhalffish Lion’shead,thebodyofafish.Seemslegit,right?WhileitisthesymbolandofficialmascotofSingapore,itisn’ta‘real’mythicalcreature.ItwasdesignedbyBritishichthyologistAlexFraser-Brunnerin1964fortheSingaporeTourismBoa rd.ThefishrepresentsSingapore’shumbleoriginsasafishingvillagecalledTemasek,laterrenamedSingapuraor‘LionCity,’thusexplainingthelion’shead.Sorrymythicalbeastfans. 2.TheWorldToiletOrganizationwasformedon19thNovember2001,inSingapore GoingrightinwiththisleftfieldfactaboutSingapore.Backin2001,thetoilet-passionatecity-stateproposedmakingNovember19‘WorldToiletDay.’122countriesbackedtheidea,andtheWorldToiletOrganization(WTO,obviously)began.It’sactuallyreallycool,aimingtosolveaworldsanitationcrisisbyprovidingclean,safetoiletsforeverybody. 3.YoucanstillgetcanedinSingapore ThoughcaningwasonlyaVictorianBritishthingtodo?Well,don’tforgetthatSingaporewasaVictorianBritishcolony;caningwasjustoneofthethingsintroducedintothen-MalayaandtheStraitsSettlements,oneofwhichwasSingapore.Y oucangetcanednotonlyforvandalizing,butforsexualabuse,rioting,anddrugabuse,tonamejustafew.Thepunishmentisappliedtobarebuttocks.Ouch.Womenareexempt. 4.Singaporehascompulsorymilitaryconscriptionof1-2years That’sright.It’safactaboutSingaporethatthiscountryisprettyparanoidaboutitsneighbors(well,itseemsthatway).SoonMarch15,1967,NationalServicewasmadecompulsoryforallmale18-year-oldSingaporecitizens,aswellaspermanentresidents.Thatmeansthere’sasubstantialmilitaryforceatanyonetimestandingtoattentioninSingapore. 5.Singaporehasitsveryowndialect  Singaporeisawashwithdifferentlanguages.ThefourofficiallanguagesareEnglish,Chinese,Malay,andTamil.ThoughmostSingaporeanscanspeakatleastone,naturallyadialectthat’sablendofallofthemhaspoppedupovertheyears–Singlish.It’saprettycomplicatedEnglish-baseddialectthatinvolvesendingsentenceswithlahforemphasis.That’sjustonequirk. 6.HawkerCentersarethebestplacetoeatlocalSingaporefood OneofthebestthingstodoonanySingaporeitineraryiseatataHawkerstand.1000%true.Singaporeancuisineisunreal.RegionalChinesedisheslikelormeeandHainanesechicken,Indianthalisets,Malayfavoriteslikenasigoreng,andawholebunchofotheramazingtantalizingdelightscanbefoundatSingapore’shawkercenters. Theforerunnertothefoodcourt,theseplaceshavededicatedoutletsforstalls,eachonewithahealthratingandplentyoftables,chairs,andbenches.ChinatownComplexFoodCenteristhelargest:howdoes260foodstallssound? 7.Singaporeheldtheworld’sfirstFormulaOnenightrace Wethoughtthat’sbecausethedaytimetemperaturesarejusttoohotforsittinginacarinallthatget-up–andforsittinginacrowdwatchingthoseracerszoomaround.Butactually,it’sforthebenefitofEuropeanviewers.Timedifferenceandall.ThefirstnightraceintheworldwasheldatMarinaBayStreetCircuitforthe2008FIAFormulaOneWorldChampionship. 8.SingaporewasfoundedbytheBritish Singapore–thenSingapura–didexist,butwasonlyabigdealalongtimeago.ThelastkingofSingapurafledinthelate14thcenturyafterbeingattacked.There’sevidencetosuggestthewholeplacewasabandoned.Itwasnothingmorethanasmall-timetradingoutpostwhenSirStamfordRafflesrockedupin1819andestablishedFortCanning.Therestishistory. 9.Singaporeisoneofonlythreesurvivingcity-statesintheworld Singaporedoesn’thaveacapital,sinceit’sacity-state–acountrythatisliterallyjustacity.TheothertwoareSanMarino,sinceit’sjustacity,andtheVaticanCity(theclue’sinthename).Others,likeDubai,claimthetitleofcity-statebuttheyjustdon’tcutthemustard. 10.TheentirenationalanthemisprintedonthebackoftheS$1000noteinmicroprint ThisisoneofourfavoritefactsaboutSingapore.BanknotesinSingaporefeatureawholelotofmicrotext(wordsyoucanbarelyread).Mostnotesjustsay“MonetaryAuthorityofSingapore”intoinfinity.TheS$1000bill,however,hastheentireSingaporeannationalanthemonthebackinmicrotext.Supercool. 11.Singaporehasalotoflittleislands AtTelunasPrivateIslandoffthecoastofSingapore Singaporeisonesmallislanditself,butdidyouknowthereareabunchofotherislandsandisletsthatmakeupSingapore?Sixty-twootherstobeexact.Somewerecreatedbylandreclamation–alotoflandreclamation.Since1965,thelandareaofSingaporehasactuallyincreaseditssizeby23%(50squaremiles)! 12.ChristmasIslandusedtobeSingaporeanterritory OneoftheislandsthatusedtobepartofSingapore,backintheBritishcolonialdaysanyway,wasChristmasIsland.Far-flung,coconutcrab-infestedChristmasIsland.In1958,theislandsweretransferredtoAustralia.Similarly,thearchipelagooftheCocosIslandswastransferredin1955. 13.AndoneofSingapore’sislandshasadarkhistory SentosaIslandisaplaceofhigh-endglitzandglamor,hometoa1.2-mile-longshelteredbeach,UniversalStudiosSingapore,acasinoandtwogolfcourses,acrazyresort,and14otherhotels.ButitwasformerlyaBritishmilitarybase,featuringFortSiloso. AndwhentheJapanesecapturedSingaporein1942,FortSilosobecameaprettyhorrificPOWcamp.AlittleknownfactaboutSingapore–well,Sentosa. 14.ThePeople’sActionPartyhaswoneveryelectionsinceself-governmentbeganin1959 Singaporemaybeademocracy,aparliamentaryrepublicwitha“Westminstersystem,”butthegovernmentcurrentlyinpower–thePeople’sActionParty(PAP)–hasbeenvotedineverysingletimesincetheveryfirstelection.Hmm…  15.SingaporeisalsoreferredtoastheGardenCity  YoumaythinkofSingaporeasaskyscraper-riddenmegacity,butthat’snottrue.Singaporeisdedicatedto“greening”effortsandisrecognizableforitstree-linedstreetsandincreasingnumberofrooftopgardensandgreenbuildingsoverflowingwithtropicalplants.It’savisionofthefuture! 16.Singaporeishometothebestairportintheworld ChangiAirportiscurrentlyrankedastheWorld’sBestAirport.Notonlythat,butithaswonthisaccoladefortheseventhyearrunningsince2013.It’shonestlyinsane.The$500million2019renovationsincludeatrampoline,giantslide,indoorforest,theworld’stallestindoorwaterfall,cinema,andswimmingpool.Thetaglinemakessense:“Morethananairport.” 17.Singaporeisthemostreligiouslydiversecountryintheworld Youhearditherefirst,folks.With5.6millionresidentscomesalotofdiversity.WealreadyknowthefactaboutSingaporethatit’sgotfourofficiallanguages(thesubwaysignsareinallfour),andahostofdifferentcuisinesonoffer,butreligions?It’sprettydamndiverseforreligion,too.VarietiesofBuddhismandChristianitytopthelistwitheverythingfromTaoismtoZoroastrianismrepresentedhere. 18.Singaporehasimportedalotofsandforlandreclamation Byalot,wemeanalot.In2010alone,thecity-stateimportedjustunder15milliontonsofsandforlandreclamationprojects.SomuchsothatSoutheastAsianneighborsMalaysia,Indonesia,andVietnamhavebarredsandexportstoSingapore.In2016,thecountryswitchedtopolders,aDutchmethodoflandreclamation.Phew. 19.SingaporehasonlyoneUNESCOWorldHeritageSite Singaporeisagreencity,that’sforsure,butit’sthehistoricSingaporeBotanicGardensthatattractedtheattentionintheend.These150-year-oldtropicalgardensarethecountry’sfirstandonlyUNESCOWorldHeritageSite. 20.It’salwayshotinSingapore Always,always,always.Singaporeislessthan100milesfromtheEquator.Ithasatropicalrainforestclimate.Therearenoseasons.It’salwaysbetween25to35°C(77to95°F).Yes.It’sawell-knownfactthatSingaporeisHot.All.The.Time.WhenwelastvisitedwefoundourselvesventuringthemallforhoursjusttogetsomeAC. 21.Roughly44percentoftheSingaporeanworkforceismadeupofnon-Singaporeans Alotoftheconstructionworkisdonebywhatthegovernmentcalls“foreignworkers,”mainlyBangladeshis.AlotofofficeworkersarefromEurope,NorthAmerica,Australia,andotherAsiancountries–“foreigntalent.”It’sgotalowunemploymentrate.Italsodoesnothaveaminimumwage.Whatdoesthatmean?Highincomeequality. 22.Singaporehastheworld’shighestpercentageofmillionaires Incredibly,thisisn’tChina.TheUnitedStatesmayhavethemostmillionaires,butSingaporehasthehighestpercentage.Oneoutofeverysixhouseholdsboastsatleast$1millionindisposablewealth.OneofthoserichandwealthySingaporefactstoknow. 23.It’ssuperexpensivetoownacarinSingapore Goodthingeveryone’samillionaire,then.Butseriously,Singaporeissmall.Therearealotofpeople.Theprivatecar-to-personratioisrestrictedtohelpstopcongestionandpollution.CarsinSingaporeendupcostingalmosttwiceasmuchastheydoinothercountries. Forexample,aSingaporeanCertificateofEntitlement,allowingacartobeusedfortenyears,istheequivalentcostofaPorscheBoxsteroverintheUS.OneofthosetotallynuttySingaporefacts! 24.AlotofSingaporeanshavelive-indomestichelp It’sactually(andsadly)prettystandard.Thereareabout224,500foreigndomesticworkersinSingapore,asofDecember2013.TheycomefromIndonesiaandthePhilippines,forthemostpart,andaremaids,cleaners,nannies,orallthree. 25.PeranakanculturescanbeseenalloverSingapore What’sPeranakan?TheseareChinesesettlerswhocametoareasofSoutheastAsiatoseektheirfortunes.Withadistinctculturethattakesinthebestofeverything,Peranakansareknownfortheirsplendidshophouses,ornateformaldress,fantasticfood,andVictorian-influencedtiles(forreal). 26.EverydaytwonewrestaurantsopeninSingapore FoodisanationalpastimeinSingapore.Eatingit,talkingaboutit,noonequitedoesfoodietothelevelofaSingaporean.Fromthehawkercenterstoluxury,high-enddiningandhipstercafes,there’sliterallyeverythingonofferhere.Onaverage,twonewrestaurantspopupperday.ThiscountryisfoodmadandIloveit(andIlovethatthisisoneofmyfavoriteSingaporefacts!) 27.GardensbytheBayboaststhelargestglassgreenhouseintheworld Averycoolnatureparktakingupabout101hectaresofreclaimedland,thewaterfrontGardensbytheBayismadeupofthreegardens–BaySouthGarden,BayEastGarden,andBayCentralGarden.Thelargestbyfaristhe54-hectareisBaySouthGarden,whichcontainstheFlowerDome,thelargestglassgreenhouseintheworld.  28.Singaporeishometotheworld’slargestverticalgarden MorefromthegreenestcityonEarthnow,andit’stimeforanamazing,record-breakingfactaboutSingapore.The2014TreeHousecondominiumsetanactualGuinnessWorldRecordforhostingtheworld’slargestverticalgarden. Itsfourstate-of-the-arttowerscomprise24,638.59squarefeetofgreenery,whichwillreducegreenhousegasemissions,andminimizeheatabsorptionwithheat-reducingwindows.It’sawesome. 29.SingaporeisalsoknownastheLittleRedDot ThisisoneofthebestfunfactsaboutSingapore,andit’sdefinitelyapartyconversationstarter!Singaporecitizensaffectionatelyrefertotheircity-stateastheLittleRedDot.Atonly277squaremiles,itisprettysmall.Onaworldmap,you-are-heresituation,Singaporewouldbejustalittlereddot. Thetermreallytookoff,however,whenanex-presidentofIndonesiausedtheterm“littlereddot”inaseeminglydisparagingnature.Citizensandpoliticiansaliketookupthetermasasourceofnationalpride.Wemean,theymaybealittlereddot,butdang. HopefullyyouenjoyedthesefunandinterestingSingaporefacts!IfyouhaveanyquestionsorwanttoaddafactsaboutSingaporeleaveacomment! CheckOutThesePosts 35FactsAboutMexicoThatWillBlowYourMind36FactsAboutSpainthatWillBlowYourMind34FactsAboutLondonThatWillBlowYourMind!30FactsAboutGreeceThatWillBlowYourMind31FactsAboutAustriaThatWillBlowYourMind30EcuadorFactsThatWillBlowYourMind31FactsAboutJapanThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsAboutItalyThatWillBlowYourMind34FactsAboutNorwayThatWillBlowYourMind37FactsAboutAfricaThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsAboutBaliThatWillBlowYourMind34FactsAboutScotlandThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsAboutIrelandThatWillBlowYourMind33FactsAboutPortugalThatWillBlowYourMind32FactsAboutSwitzerlandThatWillBlowYourMind31FactsAboutJordanThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsaboutJapaneseCultureThatWillBlowYourMind34FactsAboutCostaRicaThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsAboutPeruThatWillBlowYourMind30CanadaFactsThatWillBlowYourMind30FactsAboutTanzaniaThatWillBlowYourMind AboutNatasha Natashaistheco-founderofTheWorldPursuit.Sheisanexpertintravel,budgeting,andfindinguniqueexperiences.Shelovestobeoutside,hikinginthemountains,playinginthesnowonhersnowboard,andbiking.Shehasbeentravelingforover10yearsexperiencinguniquecultures,newfood,andmeetingfantasticpeople.Shestrivestomaketravelplanningandtravelingeasierforall.Heradviceaboutinternationaltravel,outdoorsports,andAfricansafarihasbeenfeaturedonLonelyPlanet,BusinessInsider,andReader’sDigest. 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