Singapore Singapore is officially known as the Republic of Singapore and is oftentimes also called the Lion City, the Garden City, and the Little Red Dot. Singapore is in Southeast Asia, not too far North of the equator. This entire area consists of one main island and then an additional sixty-two islets. The Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island by Sang Nila Utama back in 1299. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned down the settlement and then in 1819, Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived and helped develop the island as a British trading post. Singapore became a self-governing state during the 1959 elections. The weather is quite tropical, but there are no well-defined seasons. The temperatures do not change much throughout the year, but the wettest times of the year occurs during monsoon season, which is from November until January. The area has worked hard to keep the green spaces populated with colorful flora, gardens, and parks, so that people can enjoy them. Here are some unique and interesting facts for Singapore: · On the back of the $1000 note, people can read the national anthem in micro text. · Singapore may be known as the Lion City, but there are no lions there! · It is one of only three city states in the world. The other two are Monaco and Vatican City. · The time zone in Singapore has been changed six times since 1905. · The locals walk faster than anyone else in the world. · The United States is approximately 15,000 times larger than Singapore. · The national flower is the Vanda Miss Joaquim and it was discovered in 1893. · The first night zoo in the world is the Night Safari. · The highest natural point in Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill. It is only 164 meters high. · The largest fountain in the entire world is located here. · The towers in Suntec City were built in the shape of the palm of a hand, because it symbolizes good feng shui. · Russell Lee sells the most books in Singapore. Of course, Russell Lee isn’t one person, “he” is actually a group of ghostwriters that combine their efforts. · October is the month when many of the people in Singapore are born. Singapore and Malaysia are often confused by people who think that they are within the same country, but they are not. They are two distinct areas that each have fascinating things to see and do, which is why everyone needs to visit them both.
