91 Facts About Singapore That Will Make You Plan Your Next Trip

Singapore is an independent city-state situated in Southeast Asia.

The country is also known as the Republic of Singapore. It is made up of the main island and 63 other islands.

Singapore was originally a British colony founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. During the period of 1942-1945, while World War II was taking place, Singapore was under the control of Japan. Later on, it entered into an agreement with Malaysia. However, this lasted only for two years and because of differences in ideologies, Singapore officially announced itself independent in 1965. No battles were fought while gaining independence for Singapore as it was removed from the Malaysian agreement through a democratic vote.

Singapore has changed its name a lot of times. The very first name of Singapore was Temasek. During the Japanese occupation, the name of the country of Singapore was Syonan. The meaning of this name is 'Light of the South'. The Malay name of the country is 'Singapura' which in Sanskrit means 'lion city'. The English name is the anglicization of the Malay name.

Even the national mascot of Singapore is a legendary creature called Merlion, which is half lion and half mermaid. The national icon of the country is a lion head. The national flower of Singapore is Vanda Miss Joaquim which is an orchid named after an Armenian horticulturist.

Moreover, the national flag of Singapore displays the ideals that the country upholds. The national flag consists of two colors which are red and white. The red color depicts brotherhood and equality. Meanwhile, the white color stands for purity and virtue. The national flag of Singapore also has a crescent moon which symbolizes a young nation on the rise, and a collection of five stars that portrays the ideals of peace, democracy, justice, progress, and equality. The currency of Singapore is the Singapore dollar.

Singapore is famous as the largest port in Southeast Asia. It is also a major exporter of ornamental fish. Singapore is in third position for both IMF and the World Bank GDP per capita. There are also some bizarre laws passed by the Singapore government, that actually serve to keep the modern city-state clean. One such Singaporean law is regarding public toilet use. This law states that a person will be fined for leaving a public toilet without flushing.

Read on to explore more interesting Singapore facts that will make you visit the country at the next chance you get. Once you finish reading this article, you might also be interested in reading Dominica facts and facts about Australia here at Kidadl.

Singapore People

When there are facts about Singapore to be mentioned, it is not possible to overlook the cultural and religious diversity that the country features. Find out more Singapore facts regarding its people below.

The population of Singapore as of 2021 is 5.8 million. The citizens of this city-state follow the religions of Christianity and Buddhism. However, there are also other religions such as Islam, Taoism, and Hinduism that the people of Singapore also follow.

People in Singapore are rich. When people say this, they mean one household out of every six has around $1 million US, and this does not include the wealth accumulated through properties, cars, and businesses.

Another interesting fact about the people of Singapore is that they are considered to be the world's fastest walkers. This can be attributed to the fast-paced, busy lifestyles of these people.

There is a Singaporean writer named Russell Lee who has become quite famous in the country. He published the first volume of the series 'True Singapore Ghost Stories' in 1989 and changed the whole publishing market of the country. His book sold over 30,000 copies within three months, and he has published 26 volumes that have sold copies all over the world. But there's more. Even though he is so famous, no one knows who Russell Lee really is, as even at his book signings, he covers his face.

Ainan Celeste Cawley, who is known as the youngest person in the world to have passed the GCE 'O' level exams at seven years old, is a Singaporean.

Another famous personality of the lion city is Fandi Ahmad. He was the captain of the national soccer team of Singapore from 1993-1997. He is the first citizen of Singapore to ever play in Europe. Fandi has acquired 101 caps and scored 55 goals for his country through his talent and love for the game. He is currently the one who is the head coach of the team he was previously the captain of.

In Singapore, male citizens have the responsibility of serving in the military for a year or two once they reach the age of 18.

The country of Singapore also recognizes the importance of children and observes two days dedicated to children. One is on October 1, which is celebrated for children below 12 years of age. Meanwhile, the other is the Youth Day celebrated for teenagers on the first Sunday of July every year.

The former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew is considered to be the founding father of modern Singapore. He served the office of the prime minister from 1959-1990. He was the favorite of the people and had been in the position for almost three decades.

Plant And Animal Life

There are more interesting facts about the plant and animal life of Singapore than you can imagine. Being a city-state, modern Singapore is filled with rich flora and fauna that will attract you to go and take a closer look at them. Below are some fun facts about the plants and animals found in Singapore.

Singapore is home to the first park that is devoted to the exclusive gardening profession. It is called the Hort Park, and it is considered to be Asia's gardening lifestyle hub.

Interestingly, there is a garden in the city-state, which is known as the first garden in Asia to be dedicated to children. The name of this garden is Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.

One of the first nature reserves to be developed in Singapore is the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve which was set up in 1883. The nature reserve has more than 500 fauna species and 840 flora species. It has also been designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park. There is an area inside Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with over 400 tree species, which is more than what can be found in North America.

Although the country is very urbanistic, it also has over 24 nature reserves, five nature parks, and over 390 animal species. The world's largest bat species, called the flying fox, is found on the Singaporean island of Pulau Ubin.

Languages In Singapore

Due to its extensive diversity in terms of its population, Singapore also has many languages spoken by the country's citizens. Following are Singapore facts about its languages that will surely surprise you.

The official languages of Singapore include Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil. These official languages have been recognized by the Singapore government as well as the people. Moreover, the people of Singapore are almost all bilingual. This means that including English, they also speak another language, typically Malay, Tamil, or Mandarin Chinese.

One of the surprising Singapore facts is that there is a distinct way people of this country speak the English language. It has been so popularly used that it has been recognized as a completely new language altogether.

This language is known as Singlish. This form of English with a local Singaporean twist is only spoken in this country and by its people. While speaking in Singlish, people generally add 'lah' or 'leh' at the end of the words. So, for instance, if one needs to say 'Yes we can do it' in Singlish, it becomes 'Can lah'. Around 27 words of Singlish have been included in the Oxford Dictionary.

Among other fun facts about the languages in Singapore is that the national anthem of the country is written in Malay.

Singapore Attractions

How can a list of Singapore facts be complete without mentioning the places that attract tourists to this country in the first place? From its unique architecture, nature parks, and beautiful island landscapes, Singapore is a country worth visiting and taking in all that it offers. Some distinct and popularly known places in Singapore have been listed below.

Considered to be one of Asia's leading horticultural destinations, Gardens by the Bay is situated in the Marina Bay area. It is an alluring modern architectural construction that houses a nature park and two conservatories, The Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Gardens by the Bay also has three waterfront gardens, Bay East Garden, Bay South Garden, and Bay Central Garden.

Interesting facts about Singapore also include the night zoo or night safari one can experience while visiting the country. The Singapore Zoo, also previously called Singapore Zoological Gardens and Madai Zoo is a tropical rainforest area that offers visitors a wide range of adventures.

One such adventure is the night zoo or night safari, which provides a tram ride through six different geographical regions of the zoo. It is a one-of-a-kind nocturnal forest ride that can also be undertaken on foot. The night safari also includes having dinner amidst the wildlife and under the shining starlit sky.

The Singapore Zoo also has another attraction called Jurong Bird Park. This bird park is considered to be one of the largest aviary parks in Asia. It was previously situated in Jurong, Singapore. However, as per the instructions of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, it was shifted to Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which also includes the zoo and other ecological attractions. Jurong Bird Park is home to around 500 birds of about 135 species.

Another mention to be made under Singapore facts is that the country is home to tropical gardens, which are considered to be the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Singapore. The Singapore Botanical Gardens is around 162 years old. It is the only tropical garden and one of the three gardens listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Tourists, as well as locals, often visit it to view the magnificent flora of tropical regions and the beautiful landscape.

Moreover, the Singapore Botanical Gardens also houses the National Orchid Garden. It is the most extensive tropical orchid garden in the world. The National Orchid Garden has more than 1,000 species of orchids and 2,000 hybrids.

One of the fun facts about this beautiful place is that many of the orchids here are named after famous celebrities that have visited, such as Queen Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela, and Jackie Chan.

Another aspect of Singapore that is famous is the F1 races it holds at night. The Grand Prix Circuit of Singapore holds the world's first F1 Grand Prix night race.

Moreover, the world's largest fountain is also situated in Singapore. The Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City has this title, and it cost around $6 million in order to build it. The structure of the fountain is quite unique as the towers are built in a hand-shaped form. This is done to bring good fortune according to Feng Shui traditions regarding this hand form.

Other interesting facts about Singapore are to do with Singapore Changi Airport. It is also known as just Changi Airport, and it has held the position of being the world's best airport for eight years straight. It is popular due to the huge indoor waterfall, Imax Theatre, and a wide range of shops and restaurants. It also has the title of being one of Asia's largest transportation hubs.

Furthermore, Singapore also offers its visitors a chance to experience flying and seeing the world from the flying fox's point of view. This is possible through the thrill ride known as MegaZip or the Flying Ba. It is offered at the Mega Adventure Park in Sentosa island.

When it comes to the view of Singapore, it is also possible to view the skyline through the Singapore Flyer, which is an observation wheel.

The other place to view the skyline of Singapore is the observation deck at the Sky Park of Marina Bay Sands. This luxury hotel in Singapore is known for its unique architecture and having the world's largest rooftop swimming pool.

Singapore's World Records

Interesting facts about Singapore also include the various world records made by the country and its people. A few of these world records are mentioned below.

One of the world records made by Singapore is to do with a domino chain. In 2000, the country made a Guinness World Record of forming the longest human chain in history. This domino chain was made of 9,234 high school students. However, this record was then broken in 2010 by China which formed a human chain of 10,267 humans.

Singapore also set a record of conducting the longest pass-the-parcel game ever played.

The people of this country also set a record for having most people take part in line dancing. For this event, around 11,967 people had gathered and participated.

Singapore facts regarding world records also include the record of the longest tooth to be ever extracted, which happened in 2009. The tooth was approximately 1.2 in (3 cm) long.

Another game-related record made by Singapore is for playing the largest musical chairs game in 1989. Around 8,238 people took part in this game which lasted for about three and a half hours.

Interestingly, in 2008, while conducting a Colgate toothpaste promotion, the largest ant farm was created accidentally. The farm was 3.9 ft (1.2 m) tall and 2.9 ft (0.9 m) wide with a depth of 3.1 in (8 cm). There were around 300 ants who lived there.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for facts about Singapore, then why not take a look at facts about Andorra or Croatia facts.