Here are some interesting facts about Singapore.
- Singapore’s national anthem is in micro-text on the back of their $1,000 note.
- The World Bank has named Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business.
- Singapore has the 3rd per capita income in the world (by IMF).
- Singapore is one of only three surviving city-states in the world. The other two are Monaco and the Vatican City.
- Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang, saw a creature he thought was a lion and named the island “Singapura” which means “Lion City” in Sanskrit. However, there have never been lions outside of captivity in Singapore.
- In addition to its main island, the nation of Singapore includes 63 additional islands, most of which are uninhabited.
- Singapore is among the 20 smallest countries in the world, with a total land area of only 682.7 square kilometers. The United States is about 15,000 times bigger.
- The red of Singapore’s flag represents universal brotherhood and equality of man while the white symbolizes purity and virtue. The crescent moon stands for a young nation on the rise and the five stars signify the ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.
- Singapore’s Bukit Timah Nature Reserve holds more species of trees than the entire North American continent.
- Buildings in Singapore cannot be higher than 280 metres. Currently, there are three buildings of that height – OUB Centre, UOB Plaza and Republic Plaza.
- The Guinness book record for the longest human domino chain was set in Singapore on September 30, 2000. It was formed by 9,234 students and measured 4.2km. 27.
- Singapore has more than 3,000 kilometres of roads. Stretched out end to end, they would cover the distance from Singapore to Hong Kong
- The national language of Singapore is Malay. The four official languages of the country are English, Chinese, Tamil, and Malay.