While you may have heard of Singapore, there are plenty of simple facts about this little red dot that most people have no idea of. This article aims to enlighten you on a few things that you did not know about Singapore.
Increase in size
Singapore has drastically increased in size ever since independence. How is this possible? Well, they have managed to do a land reclamation protocol whereby they extend their boundaries seawards. This process has enabled them to increase their land by an incredible 25%.
National anthem
It is the only country to have printed its entire national anthem on a S$1000 bill. Just turn to the back of the note and you find the anthem from the very beginning to the end.
National language
Contrary to what most believe, English is not the national language of the Singaporeans, Malay is. English, however, remains to be commonly spoken and widely accepted in the country.
Geographic location
The country is approximately 141km away from the Equator. Hence, Singapore gets to experience a tropical weather all year round. In other words, the country experiences high temperatures throughout the year! The lowest ever recorded temperature in Singapore was 19 degrees celsius.
Natural reserve
Singapore has a natural reserve called Bukit Timah that plays hosts to tree species more than all of North America combined. Naturally grown and well-guarded, the trees reach incredible highs and form amazing patterns due to their diversity.
Largest Garden
Get a chance to witness the largest display of orchids with over 600 species beautifully grown and organized by colour and tone.
Man-made falls
Singapore has one of the highest man-made falls in the world. At 30 metres, Jurong Falls stands with a mighty pour. It is located in the Jurong Bird Park.
Speed
A research conducted by the British Council concluded that Singaporeans have the fastest walking speed of up to 1.8m/s. You better speed up before someone bumps into you or before you create a human traffic!
Pets
Public housing in Singapore forbids the keeping of cats as pets. Due to their free nature, cats tend to roam around and are hard to contain within a house. When they leave the house, they may end up inconveniencing the neighbours.
Flush or be fined
Singapore has a strict policy against not flushing in public toilets. You may get fined if you are found guilty of not flushing your public toilet.
Housing
The majority of the population (up to 80%) live in public housing called Housing Development Board (HDB) flats. More than 1 million such flats have been built to support the housing industry of the country and are the most common form of accommodation used by citizens of Singapore.
Gum
While it may not even be a cause for concern in other countries, you are not allowed to sell, buy, or chew gum in Singapore. This is one of the laws that have puzzled many foreigners but do take note, you may be fined if you are caught chewing gum!
Cars
There is a reason that public transport is most common in Singapore. You cannot own a car until you win the right to own a car. A certificate of entitlement(COE) is usually auctioned at the first and third Monday of each month that allows you to own a car for ten years. The highest price ever reached for cars up to 1600cc was a shocking $92,000. Hence, many consumers stick to public transport or seek alternatives at car or bus rental companies when the need for transport arises. Tourists often engage the services of bus charters to bring them around the island as well.
While small, Singapore has a lot of interesting traits that are uncommon to many other countries. There are lots to discover about this island city-state in Asia. If you have the chance, do head over to explore this tropical wonder!
