Name:
Republic of Singapore
History:
Singapore The name is derived from
the word Singapore or Lion City as
legend has it that a prince of Sumatra
viewed a beast that looked like a
lion when he set foot on the island
in the 14th century. During 1819,
Sir Stamford Raffles established a
British trading station on the island.
Singapore gained independence as a
sovereign democratic on August 9,
1965.
He was admitted to the United Nations
and the Commonwealth of nations in
the same year. Each year, Singapore
celebrates August 9 as a national
day - the day when the whole island
is filled with jubilation and patriotic
fervor.
Geography:
The island of Singapore is located
near the southern tip of the Malay
peninsula, a dam with a road, railway
and water pipes attached to it. The
Johor Strait between the island and
the mainland is about 1km wide. The
Republic of Singapore includes some
64 islets. It is a mostly flat country
with low hills, the highest in Bukit
Timah 163m (545ft). In the north-east
of the island large areas have been
recovered, and a large part of the
original jungle and swamps covering
the lowlands have been cleared.
National Symbols:
The Merlion is the national symbol
of Singapore. This mythical creature
has the head of a lion and the body
of a fish, symbolizing a 'sea lion,
which is native to a water-borne region.
The legend says that the Singa or
the lion represents a creature that
prince of Sumatra had spotted that
looks like a lion. The fish is a tribute
to Singapore’s history as Temasek,
the former city. The contemporary
name 'Singapore’ was derived
from 'Singapore', which translates
literally into lion city.
Agnes Joaquim, a lady of America,
first discovered the national flower
of Singapore, Vanda Miss Joaquim,
in 1893. This orchid embodies Singapore’s
quest for progress and excellence
in all aspects of life.
The colors’ of the flag represent
red for brotherhood and equality;
white for purity and virtue. The crescent
moon is a young nation on the rise.
The five stars stand for Singapore’s
ideals of democracy, peace, progress,
justice and equality.
The Singapore Dollar (SGD) is the
national currency of Singapore. All
major international credit cards and
traveler’s cheques are accepted
throughout the island
Time:
GMT / UTC +8
Electricity:
220-240V, 50 Hz
Country Code:
+65
Network mobile:
GSM 900, GSM 1800
Weights and Measures:
Metric with local variations
Singapore holidays
January 1st - New Year 's Day
January 10th - Hari Raya Haji
January 29th - Chinese New Year
14th April - Good Friday
May 1 - Labor Day
May 12 - Day of Vesak
9th August - National Day
October 21st - Deepavali
October 24th - Hari Raya Puasa
December 25th - Christmas Day
Singapore Hotline
On the ambulance emergency 995
Non-Emergency Ambulance 1777
FIRE 995
The police emergency 999
Police Hotline 1800 - 2550000
From the Civil Defence 1800 - 2865555
GHS Hotline 1800 - 3213591
Ministry of Health Emergency 1800
- 3339999
AVA Hotline 1800 - 2262250
Blackout 1800 - 7788888
NEA Hotline 1800 - 2255632
Dengue Hotline 1800 - 9336483
Weather Hotline 65427788
Drugs & Poison "(non-emergency)
64239119
