Singapore - The Facts
Area: 255 square miles
Population: 4 million
Language: There are four official languages. Malay is the national language, English the official government administrative language, Mandarin and Tamil are also spoken. Most Singaporeans are bilingual and English is widely understood.
Currency: Singapore dollar.
Weather: Hot and humid. The daily temperature is between 23 and 31 degrees centigrade and the average humidity is 84 %.
Chewing gum cannot be brought into Singapore, even for personal use. It was banned because of the mess it creates. Eating on public transport, dropping litter and smoking in public places are all fineable offences. This is a clean and well ordered place.
The Singapore Sling is made up of are gin, Cointreau, cherry brandy, Benedictine, pineapple juice, Grenadine, Angoustura bitters and limes. It was first served in 1915 at the Raffles Hotel.
More babies are born in October than any other month of the year.
English is the most commonly used language but the national anthem 'Majulah Singapura' is sung in Malay.
