SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore (Malay: Republik Singapura, Chinese, Tamil), is a sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia.

Singapore's territory consists of one main island along with 62 other islets. Since independence, extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23% (130 square kilometres or 50 square miles). The country is known for its transition from third world to first world in a single generation, under the leadership of its founding father, Lee Kuan Yew.

Stamford Raffles founded colonial Singapore in 1819 as a trading post of the British East India Company. After the company's collapse in 1858, the islands were ceded to the British Raj as a crown colony. During the Second World War, Singapore was occupied by Japan. It gained independence from the UK in 1963 by federating with other former British territories to form Malaysia, but separated two years later over ideological differences, becoming a sovereign nation in 1965. After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy, based on external trade and its workforce.

Singapore officially the Republic of Singapore is a sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia.

The exquisite Singapore celebrates New Year with lot of grandeur, splendor, and enthusiasm. All the major celebrations as made in and around the time of New Year are in accordance to the Chinese traditions and customs.

The entire skyline of Singapore as well as streets of Singapore are illuminated with colorful lights in such a wonderful way that it seems that it have been taken directly out of an artist’s creative mind. Also, roads are lighted up with fancy blistering lights. All small and big markets and malls are also decorated, usually with flowers and cottons, to reflect the essence of New Year festival and to draw more and more people during the time. Shopkeepers put attractive gift items on display, including toys, flowers, clothes, firecrackers, etc.

The Siloso Splash party and Cirque Aquatique Ball are other great party options, much because of the great music and fine food they serve. This party begins on New Year’s Eve and goes ion till the early hours of the New Year.

There is a tradition of organizing feasts during the time of New Year, in which all friends and members of the family are invited to be a part of the mutual celebration. There is another tradition which is referred as Chun Jei, for which preparations begin a month before the day of New Year. The tradition of Chun Jei calls everyone to develop positive hopes for the future, and abandoning all negativities, troubles, miseries, and failures of the past in the past itself. Significant amount of importance is given to a belief that one should look forward to give a new and positive start with the initiation of New Year, and that will lead to wealth, prosperity, peace, and healthiness in the coming time.

In Singapore, food is viewed as crucial to national identity and a unifying cultural. Singaporean literature declares eating a national pastime and food a national obsession. Food is a frequent topic of conversation among Singaporeans. Religious dietary strictures do exist; Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef, and there is also a significant group of vegetarians/vegans. People from different communities often eat together, while being mindful of each other's culture and choosing food that is acceptable for all.

Other than Singaporean cuisine, it is also common in Singapore to find restaurants specialising in cuisine from a great variety of countries around the world.

Below are mentioned the top 10 curiosities of Singapore:

1.     It is one of the few countries with two Independences: In 1959, declared independence from Great Britain, and in 1965 it became independent from the Federation of Malaysia, which was annexed in 1962.

2.        Singapore is the fourth financial center, the world's largest. It has stable prices and one of the GDP per capita highest in the world.

3.        Along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, is considered Singapore as one of the “four asian tigers”.

4.        It is said that it is one of the countries with more opportunities and more facilities for developing the business. The unemployment rate in 2010 was 2% (on the active population starting 15 years).

5.        There is the death penalty and, surprisingly also, there is and applies the penalty for whipping.

6.        The ethnic diversity of its population is evident, with 77% chinese, 14% malays, 8% indians, and most of the 1% of people from different countries, especially western countries.

7.        In addition to the 42% of its population is foreign, which makes it the country with one of the highest proportions of foreigners at the global level.

8.        It has 4 official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.

9.        The religious diversity is also a feature of Singapore. Buddhism is the religion most practiced (33% of the population) followed by Christianity, Islam, Taoism and Hinduism.

10.      Among travelers it is often ironic about its many prohibitions, among which there are some quite surprising, as for example chewing gum.