Singapore

SINGAPORE
Official Name: Republik Singapura Republic of Singapore Short Form: Singapore Chinese (pinyin): Xinjiapo Gnghgu Malay: Republik Singapura Capital Official languages
Singapore (Downtown Core, Central) English Malay Chinese Tamil Roman script Simplified Chinese Tamil script Singaporean Unitary parliamentaryconstituti onal republic Tony Tan Keng Yam Lee Hsien Loong Halimah Yacob Sundaresh Menon Parliament

Official Scripts

Demonym Government President Prime Minister Speaker of Parliament Chief Justice Legislature

FORMATION Founding
6 February 1819

SelfGovernment

3 June 1959 31 August 1963

- Independence from The United Kingdom Merger With Malaysia Separation From Malaysia

16 September 1963 9 August 1965

AREA Total Water (%) POPULATION 2012 census Density GDP (PPP) Total Per capita
5,312,400 7,315/km2 (3rd) 18,943/sq. mi 2012 estimate $327.557 billion $61,046 2012 estimate $270.020 billion $50,323 Singapore dollar (SGD) SST (UTC+8) dd/mm/yyyy 710 km2 (189th) 274 sq. mi 1.444

GDP (nominal) Total Per capita Currency Time zone Date format

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
A Journey into Singapores Past
While the earliest known historical records of Singapore are shrouded in the mists of time, a third century Chinese account describes it as "Pu-luo-chung", or the "island at the end of a peninsula". Later, the city was known as Temasek ("Sea Town"), when the first settlements were established from AD 1298-1299. During the 14th century, this small but strategically located island earned a new name. According to the legend, Sang Nila Utama, a Prince from Palembang (the capital of Srivijaya), was out on a hunting trip when he caught sight of an animal he had never seen before. Taking it to be a good sign, he founded a city where the animal had been spotted, naming it The Lion City or Singapura, from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pura (city). At this time, the city was then ruled by the five kings of ancient Singapura. Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, the natural meeting point of sea routes, the city served as a flourishing trading post for a wide variety of sea crafts, from Chinese junks, Indian vessels, Arab dhows and Portuguese battleships to Buginese schooners. The next important period in the history of Singapore was during the 19th century, when modern Singapore was founded. At this time, Singapore was already an up and coming trading post along the Malacca Straits, and Britain realised the need for a port of call in the region. British traders needed a strategic venue to refresh and protect the merchant fleet of the growing empire, as well as forestall any advance made by the Dutch in the region. The then Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) in Sumatra, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed in Singapore on 29 January 1819, after a survey of the neighbouring islands. Recognising the immense potential of the swamp covered island, he helped negotiate a treaty with the local rulers, establishing Singapore as a trading station. Soon, the islands policy of free trade attracted merchants from all over Asia and from as far away as the US and the Middle East. In 1832, Singapore became the centre of government for the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of the telegraph and steamship, Singapore's importance as a centre of the expanding trade between the East and West increased tremendously. By 1860, the thriving country had a population that had grown from a mere 150 in 1819 to 80,792, comprising mainly Chinese, Indians and Malays. But the peace and prosperity of the country suffered a major blow during World War II, when it was attacked by the Japanese aircrafts on 8 December 1941. Once regarded as an impregnable fortress, Singapore fell under the Japanese invasion on 15 February 1942. It remained occupied by the Japanese for the next three and half years, a time marked by great oppression and an immense loss of lives. When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the island was handed over to the British Military Administration, which remained in power until the dissolve of the Straits Settlement comprising Penang, Melaka and Singapore. In March 1946, Singapore became a Crown Colony. In 1959, the growth of nationalism led to self-government, and the countrys first general election. The Peoples Action Party (PAP) won a majority of 43 seats and Lee Kuan Yew became the first

prime minister of Singapore. In 1961, Singapore joined Malaya and merged with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia in 1963. However, the merger proved unsuccessful, and less than two years later on 9 August 1965, Singapore left Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign democratic nation. On 22 December that year, Singapore finally became an independent republic. Today, you can experience Singapores rich historical heritage by visiting many of the national monuments, museums and memorials located around the city. On your trip here, remember to take a walk along one of the many heritage trails or visit the well-known landmarks for a complete Singapore journey.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Singapores Parliament House

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing constituencies. Its constitution establishes representative democracy as its political system. Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and The Economist ranks Singapore as a "hybrid regime", the third rank out of four, in its "Democracy Index". Singapore is consistently rated one of the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International. Executive power rests with the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, and the President. The president is elected through popular vote, and has some veto powers for a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judges, but otherwise occupies a ceremonial post. The Parliament serves as the legislative branch of government. Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of elected, non-constituency and nominated members. Elected MPs are voted into parliament on a "first-past-the-post" (plurality) basis and represent either single-member or grouprepresentation constituencies. The People's Action Party has won control of Parliament with large majorities in every election since self-governance was secured in 1959. However, in the most recent parliamentary elections in 2011, the opposition, led by the Workers' Party, made significant gains and increased its representation in the House to 6 elected MPs.

The legal system of Singapore is based on English common law, albeit with substantial local differences. Trial by jury was entirely abolished in 1970 leaving judicial assessment performed wholly by judgeship. Singapore has penalties that include judicial corporal punishment in the form of caning for rape, rioting, vandalism, and some immigration offences. There is a mandatory death penalty for murder, and for certain drug-trafficking and firearms offences. Amnesty International has said that some legal provisions conflict with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and that Singapore has "possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population. The government has disputed Amnesty's claims. In a 2008 survey, international business executives believed Singapore, along with Hong Kong, had the best judicial system in Asia. In 2011, in the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index Singapore was ranked in the top countries surveyed in "Order and Security", "Absence of Corruption", and "Effective Criminal Justice". However, it scored very low for both "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of Assembly. All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may only be legally held at Speakers' Corner.

ECONOMY
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy balanced with extensive government intervention and planning. It has an open, pro-business environment, relatively corruption-free and transparent, stable prices, low tax rates (14.2% of GDP) compared to other developed economies, and one of the highest per-capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Its innovative yet steadfast form of economics that combines economic planning of Singapore Economic Development Board with free-market has given it the nickname the Singapore Model. Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings is a large investor in the economy, holding majority stakes in several of the nation's largest companies, such as Singapore Airlines, SingTel, ST Engineering and MediaCorp. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services including the posture that Singapore is the regional hub for wealth management (and the opening of the city state's first casino in 2010) provide the main source of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase natural resources and raw goods which it does not have. Moreover, water is a scarcity in Singapore therefore water is defined as a precious resource in Singapore along with the scarcity of land to be treated with land fill of Pulau Semakau. Singapore has limited arable land that Singapore has to rely on the agrotechnology park for agricultural production and consumption. Human Resource is another vital issue for the health of Singaporean economy. Singapore could thus be said to rely on an extended concept of intermediary trade to Entrept trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining them for re-export, such as in the wafer fabrication industry and oil refining. Singapore also has a strategic port which makes it more competitive than many of its neighbours in carrying out such entrepot activities. The Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing Rotterdam and Hong Kong. In addition, Singapore's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of the country's

education policy in producing skilled workers, is also fundamental in this aspect as they provide easier access to markets for both importing and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed to refine imports into exports. Singapore's government promotes high levels of savings and investment through policies such as the Central Provident Fund, which is used to fund its citizen's healthcare and retirement needs. Most companies in Singapore are registered as private limited-liability companies (commonly known as "private limited companies"). A private limited company in Singapore is a separate legal entity, and shareholders are not liable for the company's debts beyond the amount of share capital they have contributed.

Buddhism 33% Buddhism is the most widely Christianity 18% practised religion in Singapore, with No religion 17% 33% of the resident population declaring Islam 15% themselves adherents at the most recent Taoism 11% census. The next most practised religion Hinduism 5.1% is Christianity, followed by Islam, Others 0.9% Taoism and Hinduism. 17% of the population did not have a religious affiliation. The proportion of Christians, Taoists and nonreligious people increased between 2000 and 2010 by about 3% each, whilst the proportion of Buddhists decreased. Other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population.

RELIGION

Religion in Singapore
RELIGION PERCENTAGE

There are monasteries and Dharma centres from all three major traditions of Buddhism in Singapore: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and are of the Mahayana tradition. Chinese Mahayana is the most predominant form of Buddhism in Singapore, with missionaries from Taiwan and China for several decades. However, Thailand's Theravada Buddhism has seen growing popularity among the people (not only the Chinese) in the past decade. Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, is practised by many people in Singapore, but by mostly those of Chinese descent. Tibetan Buddhism has also made slow inroads into the country in recent years.

LANGUAGES

Native languages of Singaporeans Singapore has four official % OF FIRST LANGUAGE languages: English, Chinese, Malay, and LANGUAGE SPEAKERS Tamil. English is the common language of Chinese 49.9% the nation and is the language of business, government and medium of instruction in English 32.3% schools. Public bodies in Singapore Malay 12.2% conduct their businesses in English, and Tamil 3.3% official documents written in a nonEnglish official language such as Chinese, Malay or Tamil typically have to be translated into English to be accepted for submission. The Singapore Constitution and all laws are written in English, and translators are required if one wishes to address the Singaporean Courts in a language other than English. However, English is the native tongue for only one-third of all Singaporeans, with roughly a third of all Singaporean Chinese, a quarter of all Singaporean Malays and half of all Singaporean Indians speaking it as their native tongue. Twenty percent of Singaporeans, or one out of every five, cannot read or write in English. Many, but not all, Singaporeans are bilingual in English and another official language, with vastly varying degrees of fluency. The official languages ranked in terms of literacy amongst Singaporeans are English (80% literacy), Mandarin Chinese (65% literacy), Malay (17% literacy) and Tamil (4% literacy). Singaporean English is based on British English, and forms of English spoken range from Standard English to a pidgin known as "Singlish". Singlish is heavily discouraged by the government. Chinese is the language that is spoken as the native tongue by the greatest number of Singaporeans, half of them.] Singaporean Mandarin is the most common version of Chinese in the country, with 1.2 million using it as their home language. Nearly half a million speak other Chinese languages (which the government describes as "dialects"), mainly Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favour of Mandarin and English.

Malay was chosen as the "national language" by the Singaporean government after independence from Britain in the 1960s to avoid friction with Singapore's neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia which are Malay-speaking. It has a symbolic rather than functional purpose. It is used in the national anthem "Majulah Singapura" and in military commands. Today, in general, Malay is spoken within the Singaporean Malay community, with only 16.8% of all Singaporeans literate in Malay and only 12% using it as their native language. Around 100,000 or 3% of Singaporeans speak Tamil as their native language. Even though only Tamil has official status, there have been no attempts to discourage the use or spread of other Indian languages.

EDUCATION
Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is mostly supported by the state. All institutions, private and public, must be registered with the Ministry of Education. English is the language of instruction in all public schools, and all subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "Mother Tongue" language paper. While "Mother Tongue" in general refers to the first language internationally, in Singapore's education system it is used to refer to the second language, as English is the first language. Students who have been abroad for a while or who struggle with their "Mother Tongue" language are allowed to take a simpler syllabus or drop the subject. Education takes place in three stages: primary, secondary, and pre-university education. Only the primary level is compulsory. Students begin with six years of primary school, which is made up of a four-year foundation course and a two-year orientation stage. The curriculum is focused on the development of English, the mother tongue, and maths. There are four standard subjects taught to all students: English, the mother tongue, mathematics, and science. Secondary school lasts from four to five years and is divided between Special, Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) streams in each school, depending on a student's ability level. The basic coursework breakdown is the same as in the primary level, although classes are much more specialised. Pre-university education takes place over two to three years at senior schools mostly called Junior Colleges. Some schools have a degree of freedom in their curriculum and are known as autonomous schools. These exist from the secondary education level. National examinations are standardised across all schools, with a test taken after each stage. After the first six years of education, students take the Primary School Leaving Examination, which determines their placement at secondary school. At the end of the secondary stage, GCE 'O' Level exams are taken; at the end of the following pre-university stage, the GCE 'A' Level exams are taken. Of all non-student Singaporeans aged 15 and above, 18% have no education qualifications at all while 45% have the Primary School Leaving Examination as their highest qualification. 15% have the GCE 'O' Level as their highest qualification and 14% have a degree.

Singaporean students consistently rank in the top five in the world in the two major international assessments of mathematics and science knowledge. Singaporean students were ranked first in the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and have been ranked top three every year since 1995. Singaporean students were also ranked top five in the world in terms of mathematics, science and reading in the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment conducted by the OECD. The country's two main public universities the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are among the top 100 in the world.

HEALTH
Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare system, even with health expenditure relatively low for developed countries. The World Health Organization ranks Singapore's healthcare system as 6th overall in the world in its World Health Report. In general, Singapore has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world for the past two decades. Life expectancy in Singapore is 79 for males and 83 for females, placing the country 15th in the world for life expectancy. Almost the whole population has access to improved water and sanitation facilities. There are fewer than 10 annual deaths from HIV per 100,000 people. There is a high level of immunisation. Adult obesity is below 10%. The government's healthcare system is based upon the "3M" framework. This has three components: Medifund, which provides a safety net for those not able to otherwise afford healthcare, Medisave, a compulsory health savings scheme covering about 85% of the population, and Medishield, a government-funded health insurance scheme. Public hospitals in Singapore have autonomy in their management decisions, and compete for patients. A subsidy scheme exists for those on low income. In 2008, 31.9% of healthcare was funded by the government. It accounts for approximately 3.5% of Singapore's GDP.

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

Singapore is one of the industrially most advanced countries of the world. The core sectors of industry are manufacturing, oil refining and tour and travel industry. Manufacturing sector alone accounts

for about 45 per cent of Singapores GDP. Electronics manufacturing has been the key industry since the countrys reconstruction in modern times since its independence in 1965. Digital technologies manufacturing is the thriving industry sector in the current decade. In Petroleum refining Singapore occupies the third largest position in the world. Singapore Petroleum Company, one of the leading players in the sector is engaged in exploration, production, refining and distribution. In partnership with global major Caltex, the company refines 285000 barrels of crude oil per day. Naphtha based petrochemical industry is also growing in Singapore. Singapore is rated as one of the best industry friendly countries of the world. Some of the factors that are responsible for the conducive environment for business include strategic geographic position of the country, vast natural seaport, liberal government policies, highly skilled workforce, favourable tax regime, just and fair laws and regulations and valuable resources. Several MNCs have made Singapore as their main base and headquarters for local as well as global interactions. New generation business opportunities are being created to reconstruct Singapore into a knowledge-based economy. Thus at present Singapore's business sector is a thriving industry and is attracting people from all over the world in search of better business opportunities to its shores. Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry is promoting the industry friendly climate through its designated authorities such as Economic Development Board which evolve overall economic planning and development of Singapore.

NATURAL RESOURCES
Oil
Singapore has no oil production capability or reserves, but its strategic location and attractive foreign investment regime have established it as Southeast Asia's largest oil refining and petrochemical centre. Singapore's offshore engineering industry has performed well in recent years, boosted by an upturn in the oil and gas sectors. Companies have diversified into niche markets such as harsh weather jack-ups, modules, floating production and offloading systems, and related areas such as power generation. Singapore's Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Marine Ltd are the world's leading builder of offshore rigs. Both companies saw a sharp reduction in new orders, and some cancellations and renegotiations, in late 2008 and early 2009 as the global economic downturn led energy prices to fall. However high oil prices in 2010 saw oil and natural gas exploration expand swiftly into offshore areas that previously made little economic sense to develop. Furthermore, numerous production and exploration rigs are now nearing the end of their

operating lives and require replacement. As a result Keppel and Sembcorp Marine have huge orders worth billions of dollars for new rigs that will keep their yards busy and earnings healthy over the short- to medium-term. In 2010 major orders included a SGD990 million (USD780 million) order for four jack-up rigs to Keppel, adding to the company's SGD5 billion order book at the start of 2011. Sembcorp Marine's orders at the beginning of 2011 totalled SGD3.2 billion after winning contracts for four deep sea rigs in 2010.

Refining
Singapore's four main refineries - Esso Singapore Pte Ltd, Mobil Oil Singapore Pte Ltd, Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd and Singapore Refining Co Ltd (managed by BP but jointly owned by BP, Caltex and the Singapore Petroleum Co) - have a combined refining capacity of 1.4 million bpd. Competition from new Asian refineries, notably in India (at Jamnagar) and Malaysia (at Melaka), has put the sector under increasing pressure and is likely to lead to consolidation and some loss of capacity. By late 2011, Singapore's various refiners and storage operators had the capacity to hold around 4.6 million m3 of crude oil. A USD594 million 1.48 million m 3 underground storage facility for crude oil and other fuels is being built at Jurong, with the first two caverns due to be completed in 2013. The second phase, which would add a further 1.3 million m3 is unlikely to put out for tender until 2012 at the earliest. Since end-2005, Singapore has almost doubled independent oil storage capacities, but all of it has been leased out, leaving the market short of tanks despite slowing consumption. The main upstream producer is the Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (PCS), owned by Shell Eastern Petroleum and a Sumitomo-led Japanese consortium. Largest among the seven downstream companies are Phillips Petroleum and the Polyolefin Company (30 per cent Shell and 70 per cent Japanese). Singapore's primary refining and petrochemical plants are located on a group of islands off the southwest coast and in Jurong.

POPULATION
The total population in Singapore was last recorded at 5.2 million people in 2011 from 1.7 million in 1960, changing 214 percent during the last 50 years. Population in Singapore is reported by the World Bank. Historically, from 1960 until 2011, Singapore Population averaged 3.0 Million reaching an all-time high of 5.2 Million in December of 2011 and a record low of 1.7 Million in December of 1960. The population of Singapore represents 0.08 percent of the worlds total population which arguably means that one person in every 1346 people on the planet is a resident of Singapore. This page includes a chart with historical data for Singapore Population.

GEOGRAPHY
Singapore is an island of 646 sq. km, about the size of Chicago. It is located at one of the crossroads of the world. Singapore's strategic position has helped it grow into a major center for trade, communications, and tourism. Its geographical location is 96km north of the equator, between longitude 103 degrees 36' East and 104 degrees 25' East. Singapore is often touted as a concrete jungle with close to 90% of the population living in flats and an ever-changing skyline of monumental buildings. Government and private enterprises also conduct an orchestra of automation that makes Singapore one of the world's most efficient societies. Yet Singapore has also been known as a green city. There is a wealth of flora and fauna here that is beyond our own imagination. Two causeway bridges link Malaysia, which is just north of Singapore. The key islands of the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia are also just a quick ferry trip away, whereas Thailand and the Philippines are a short plane journey away. Singapore, with an airport served by more than 69 airlines, is very much the gateway to Southeast Asia Singapore's climate is warm and humid, with temperatures ranging from 23 degree Celsius to 31 degree Celsius. This makes it ideal for those who enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sailing, and other water sports. For those who do not enjoy the tropical climate, Singapore is sheltered from the worst effects of the sun with air-conditioning in almost all of its buildings, including restaurants. Rain falls throughout the year with more consistent rain during the monsoon season from November to January. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but brief and refreshing. Singapore is 8 hours ahead from GMT.

CULTURE

The culture of Singapore has evolved down the years since the island country itself represents a wonderful blend of cultures as diverse as Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European. Naturally, Singapore, which was once a fishing village under the British Empire, is a composite and cohesive portrait of various cultures. The most striking part of Singapore culture is its rich ethnic multiplicity that has brought about a seamless diffusion in the way Singaporeans go about their everyday lives. As a result of the variegated backgrounds of Singaporeans, the country was originally divided into several ethnic areas such as Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown. Now, however, these divisions no longer exist but traces of each individual culture remain in specific areas of Singapore.

CUISINE
Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country's national pastime. The diversity of food is touted as a reason to visit the country, and the variety of food representing different ethnicities is seen by the government as a symbol of its multiculturalism. The "national fruit" of Singapore is the durian. In popular culture, food items belong to a particular ethnicity, with Chinese, Indian, and Malay food clearly defined. The diversity of cuisine has been increased further by the "hybridization" of different styles, e.g. the Peranakan style, a mix of Chinese and Malay cuisine.

FESTIVALS
New Years Day
The year begins with festivities and every New Year heralds celebrations in Singapore. There are several venues that hold New Years Eve Countdown Parties for the public. The most popular waterfront events are The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and Siloso Beach Party at Sentosa. Most of the Singaporeans frequent either of these locations to enjoy the public performances and witness the impressive fireworks display. Other popular party spots can be found along Orchard Road, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is one of the most anticipated celebrations in Singapore. The festival begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar, which usually falls between the last week of January and early February. Preparations begin weeks ahead of the Chinese New Year and the city wears a festive spirit during this period. Families celebrate by partaking in reunion feasts, making new year visits to the homes of family and friends, exchanging hongbao (red envelopes with monetary gifts), gifting tiny Mandarin trees (symbolises prosperity) and visiting the temple.

The hub of all activity is a brightly lit Chinatown, with spectacular overarching decorations and Chinese lanterns lining its streets. Most Chinese families assemble in this ethnic quarter to enjoy its myriad sights and sounds and savour traditional Chinese goodies. Most shopping malls are decorated with traditional ornaments in the auspicious colors of red and gold and offer attractive discounts and promotions. The famous lion and dragon dances are held at Chinatown and along the Singapore River at both the quays. Chinese New Year Celebrations culminate on the 15th day of the New Year, as the Spring Lantern Festival. Ten days after the Lantern Festival, its time for the biggest parade in Singapore known as the Chingay Parade a street and float parade with various performances ranging from acrobatics to traditional dances.

Vesak Day
Vesak Day, the full moon day of the fourth lunar month, is the most important annual event for the Buddhist community in Singapore. Vesak Day usually falls in the month of May and commemorates the birth, enlightenment and final nirvana of the Buddha. Buddhist temples are colourfully decorated with Buddhist flags and lights and shrines are adorned with flowers, fruits and other offerings. Vesak Day celebrations are closed hall events open to members of the public. Some of the highlights include: vegetarian food fair, public talks, hymn singing etc. Acts of generosity known as dana are observed by Buddhist organizations and temples. Vesak Day entails a quieter celebration than most other festivals in Singapore.

Deepavali
Deepavali or the Festival of Lights is the most important festival in the Hindu calendar and the most significant festival for the Indian community in Singapore. Deepavali usually falls in the month of October or November and celebrations begin weeks ahead in the Indian ethnic quarter of Little India. Signifying the triumph of good over evil or light over darkness, the streets of Little India sport colorful lights and traditional overarching decorations. Roadside stalls sell terracotta lamps, flowers and other traditional decorative items. Sweetmeat shops offer a wide array of mouth-watering traditional Indian sweets and savouries. Families celebrate by partaking in reunion feasts, visiting the homes of family and friends, exchanging sweets, lighting oil lamps at home and visiting the temple. There are a number of cultural celebrations that take place during this period. Since there is a ban on bursting fire crackers in Singapore, most families get together and light sparklers in the late evening.

Hari Raya Puasa

Commonly known as Eid Ul Fitr world over, Hari Raya Puasa is a major festival for the Malay community in Singapore and usually falls in the month of September or October. Hari Raya Puasa marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Geylang Serai, the cultural heart of the Malay/Muslim community is well lit and decorated, and a festive mood prevails. There are colourful festive bazaars and numerous food stalls offering traditional Malay fare.

Cultural performances like traditional Malay song and dance also form part of the celebrations. Families celebrate by wearing their finest clothes, attending early Morning Prayer meetings at local mosques, visiting family and friends and partaking in a thanksgiving feast.

Hari Raya Haji

Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Eid Al Adha, Hari Raya Haji marks the end of the Haj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Hari Raya Haji usually falls in the month of November or December and festivities are similar to those of Hari Raya Puasa.

Christmas
Christmas is considered the most enchanting time of the year and the holiday spirit sets in weeks ahead of Christmas Day. Titled Christmas in the Tropics, a seven week extravaganza that celebrates the spirit of Christmas unfolds every year from the end of November and continues until the ringing in of the New Year. Famed for its Christmas Light-Up, Orchard Road and Marina Bay are transformed during this period, by festive street lighting, glorious celebratory arches, brilliant water features and picture-perfect themed sets. Key night time entertainment along Orchard Road during the festive season includes: Christmas-themed activities by choral groups, musicians, dancers; Parade of Floats; the popular ZoukOut outdoor dance festival on Sentosa (organised by The Zouk, one of Singapores popular nightclubs); and many other events. Adding to the gay aura are the specially decorated shop windows and stunning Christmas decorations in the malls. Many malls and retailers offer special shopping deals, late night shopping as well as post-Christmas sales. Families attend mid-night mass, visit relatives and friends and enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner.

SINGAPORE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Singapore Zoo

Singapore Botanical Gardens

National Museum of Singapore

Boat Quay and Clarke Quay

Marina Bay Sands

Singapore Flight Experience

Universal Studios Singapore

Singapore Flyer

Singapore Science Centre

Little India Singapore

MacRitchie Reservoir

Jurong Bird Park