Singapore officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country 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 Riau Islands
The population of Singapore is approximately 4.84 million. Though Singapore is highly cosmopolitan and diverse, ethnic Chinese form the majority of the population. English is the administrative language of the country. The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore established the political system of nation as a representative democracy, while the country is recognised as a parliamentary republic. The Peoples Action Party (PAP) dominates the political process and has won control of Parliament in every election since self-government in 1959.

CURRENCY :

The local currency in Singapore is Singapore Dollars.

GOVERNMENT :

Singapore is a parliamentary republic, with president, a Prime Minister & two deputy Prime Minister. The ruling party is the people's Action party. The current president is Mr. SR Nathan.

LOCATION:

It lies just one degree north of the Equator at the Southern tip of Malaysia, south-east Asia.

PEOPLE:

It is quite a melting pot - a multi-racial, multi-cultural & multi-lingual society of friendly people. You get to meet people from lots of different countries & cultures. Of its population of 4.4 million, 77% are Chinese, 14% are Malays, 8% Indians & 2% other races.

LANGUAGE :

CLIMATE :

Singapore is hot & humid all year round. Daily temperatures range from 23-33 degree Celsius. November till the end of Jan sees the heaviest rainfall. The hottest period is from May to August. Average humidity is 84% but for those who do not enjoy the tropical climate, Singapore is sheltered from the worst effects of the sun with AC in almost all its shops, hotels, office buildings & restaurants.

MAJOR CITIES :

Central business district, Bukit timah, Jurong, Changi, Orchard, Bedok, Wooklands etc.

FOOD :

While there are fancy restaurants offering every kind of cuisine, there are also fast food chains, hawker centres where you can have a very satisfying meal for a few dollars. You can have Chinese noodles, with an Indian curry & a Malay side dish followed by a French dessert.

SCENERY :

It is a clean, modern & green. The city is lush with greenery & it's also impeccably clean. There are strict rules on littering here so you rarely see rubbish on the streets or graffiti on walls. The frenetic by 1040 hectares of scenic parks, nature reserves & beaches. Environs of botanical gardens, Bukit timah nature reserve, Sungei Buloh nature park, the world - acclaimed Zoological gardens & the night safari are hard to miss, Jurong bird park etc.

OCCUPATION & ECONOMY :

Singapore has grown from a tiny fishing village to a thriving centre of commerce & Industry. Its has the busiest port in the world serving over 600 shipping lines & one of its major oil refining & distribution centres. It is an important supplier of electronic components & a leader in ship building & repairing, Singapore's strategic position has helped it to grow into a major centre for finance, communication & tourism. Singapore has an airport served by more than 69 airlines. 91% literacy.

TRANSPORT :

The public transport system is excellent. You will rarely be caught in a traffic jam. MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) trains are the most fastest & convenient way of traveling. MRT operates a network of trains serving 51 stations. You will get a taxi any where in Singapore.

Government & Laws:

Singapore is a parliamentary democracy with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing different constituencies. The bulk of the executive powers rests with the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. The legislative branch of government is the Parliament. Politics in Singapore have been controlled by the Peoples Action Party (PAP) since self-government was attained. In consequence, foreign political analysts and several opposition parties like the Workers Party of Singapore, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) have argued that Singapore is essentially a one-party state. Many analysts consider Singapore to be an illiberal or procedural democracy rather than a true democracy.

Geography & Climate:

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. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of many smaller islands. The highest natural point of Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill at 166 m (545 ft). Under the Köppen climate classification system, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate with no distinctive seasons. Its climate is characterized by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures range from 22 °C to 34 °C (72° to 93 °F). On average, the relative humidity is around 90% in the morning and 60% in the afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100%.

Culture & Population:

Singapore is a mixture of an indigenous Malay population with a third generation Chinese majority, as well as Indian and Arab immigrants with some intermarriages. There also exist significant Eurasian and Peranakan communities.

Economy & Education:

Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on exports refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. The manufacturing industry is well-diversified into electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences manufacturing. Singapore is the fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York City and Tokyo. Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations.