Singapore


Warning: include(../afads/viator/singapore.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/content/w/t/h/wtharris/html/countries/singapore.php on line 162

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '../afads/viator/singapore.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/php5/lib/php') in /home/content/w/t/h/wtharris/html/countries/singapore.php on line 162
Singapore
Population
 4,553,009
Capital
 Singapore
Currency
 Singapore dollar
Language(s)
 Mandarin, English
Country Code
 65
Singapore is an island nation located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. Singapore consists of 63 islands, including mainland Singapore. There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia — Johor-Singapore Causeway in the north, and Tuas Second Link in the west. It is one of the few remaining city-states in the world and the smallest country in Southeast Asia. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences and a tropical climate, with tasty food, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region. Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and attracts millions of tourists each year. A lot of its cultural attraction can be attributed to its cultural diversity that reflects its colonial history and Chinese, Malay, Indian and Arab ethnicities. The Orchard Road district, which is dominated by multi-storey shopping centres and hotels, can be considered the centre of tourism in Singapore. Other popular tourist attractions include the Singapore Zoo and its Night Safari, which allows people to explore Asian, African and American habitats at night without any visible barriers between guests and the wild animals. The tourist island of Sentosa, which attracts more than 5 million visitors a year, is located in the south of Singapore, consists of about 20-30 landmarks, such as Fort Siloso, which was built as a fortress to defend against the Japanese during World War II. Singapore will have two integrated resorts with casinos in 2010, one at Marina Bay and the other at Sentosa which the government announced during a parliament session on April 18, 2005. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is an extensive nature reserve which covers much of the Bukit Timah Hill, and is the only remaining place where primary rainforest still exists on the island. The Art Districts in Singapore include Central Arts Districts, Chinatown Arts Belt, Dempsey and Tanglin, Little India, and Riverside. The are also various art museums in Singapore like the Asian Civilisations Museums at Empress Place and Old Tao Nan School, Singapore Art Museum, and NUS Museums.