a short article I wrote for a local newsletter..

SINGAPORE: The Lion City

Legend has it that once upon a time, a prince called Sang Nila Utama spotted a magnificent beast when he landed on the sandy white shores of an island then known as Temasek. He was told that the beast was a lion, and when he came to rule the island eventually, he renamed Temasek “Singapura”. The name “Singapura” is derived from the Malay word “singa” (lion) and the Sanskrit word “pura” (city). This was how Singapore got her name and it is also the reason why it is sometimes referred to as the “Lion City”.

Singapore is found at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. We are neighbours to Muslim countries, namely Malaysia and Indonesia. Sheltered from the seas by large land masses such as the islands of Java and Sumatra, Singapore is unaffected by disasters like tsunamis. In fact, Singapore is free from all natural disasters and it is a safe and sunny island/ city all year round.

The land area of this tropical city-state stands at a paltry 692.7 km². This makes it to be just about half the size of Iwaki City (1,231.13 km²). However, we house a population of 4,425,720 and yet remain free of congestion, a serious problem in many big cities.

Singaporeans mainly belong to one of the three major ethnic groups: Chinese, Malay and Indian. People of all ethnic and religious backgrounds live side by side with each other. Such integration promotes understanding of other cultures, including the festivals and cuisines that are associated with each ethnic and religious group.

All three ethnic groups have generally retained the use of their respective official mother tongues. The official mother tongue for Chinese Singaporeans is Mandarin. For Malay and Indian Singaporeans, it is Malay and Tamil respectively. English is the language of administration and medium of instruction. Everyone has to study English and one other official language in school. Due to the extremely successful language policies of the government, language habits of Singaporeans have changed to the point where it is no longer uncommon to have English spoken as a home language. Singaporeans are now generally known to be bilingual. In fact, it is probably one of the very few Asian countries in the world with English as the dominant language.

The common use of English and the portrayal of Singapore as a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city-state have helped make tourism a vibrant industry. Tourist attractions are just too many to name but it is probably worth mentioning that Night Safari is easily the favourite among Japanese tourists. Night Safari comprises a 40-hectare jungle reserve and it consists of over 1200 nocturnal animals that come from various regions in the world. Sentosa, an island just minutes away from the mainland of Singapore, also boasts of many attractions such as the clean beaches and calm sea, one of Southeast Asia’s best aquariums called the Underwater World and, of course, the Merlion, something that has come to be known as a symbol of Singapore internationally. Visitors to Singapore are also encouraged to make time for Orchard Road, the shopper’s paradise in the city.

So, this is Singapore in brief. As the Chinese saying goes, “travelling a thousand miles beats reading a thousand books”. The best way to know Singapore is to experience it for yourself. Have fun!