Singapore Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

South-East Asia.

Language

Mandarin Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. Most Singaporeans are bilingual and speak English, which is used as the main language of communication.

Area

697.1 sq km (269 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 8.

Electricity

220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plug fittings of the three-pin square type are in use. Many hotels have 110-volt outlets.

Population

4.6 million (official figure 2007).

Population Density

6,584 per sq km.

Capital City

Singapore City State. Population: 4.6 million (2007).

Government

Republic. Gained full independence in 1965.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong since 2004.

Head of State

President S R Nathan since 1999, re-elected in 2005.

Religion

Taoist, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Muslim.

Recent History

In both January 1997 and September 2001, opposition parties decided to contest only a small proportion (about one-third) of the 83 seats. Unsurprisingly, the People’s Action Party (PAP) won both polls comfortably. Goh was widely expected to stand down in favor of Lee Junior finally doing so in August 2004. In September 2005, S R Nathan began his second six-year term as President of Singapore. He won the election after the other contenders were disqualified for not meeting the strict selection criteria. Singapore staged the high profile IMF/World Bank meeting in 2006, and its first F1 Grand Prix in 2008.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +65.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet

Internet cafes throughout Singapore provide public access to Internet and e-mail services.

Media

Singapore's media environment has the shadow of Singaporean government cast over it. Censorship is common; Internet access is regulated; and private ownership of satellite dishes is not allowed.

Post

Airmail to Europe takes up to one week. There are limited postal facilities at many hotels.Mon-Fri 0830-1700, Sat 0830-1300. The airport and Orchard Point branches are open daily 0700-1900. The General Post Office on Fullerton Road (near the river) and the Comcenter near Orchard Road are open 24 hours.

Press

•Singapore Press Holdings, with close links to the ruling party, has a virtual monopoly of the newspaper industry.
• The English-language dailies are The Business Times, The New Paper, The Straits Times and Today.

Radio

• MediaCorp operates more than 12 stations in Singapore.
• Unionworks operates WKRZ, an English language station, and Mandarin station UFM. • Radio Singapore International operates broadcasts in four languages, including English.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
3 Feb - 4 Feb Chinese New Year
22 Apr Good Friday
1 May Labor Day
2 May Vesak Day (Birth of the Buddha)
9 Aug National Day
30 Aug Hari Raya Puasa (End of Ramadan)
26 Oct Deepavali
6 Nov Hari Raya Haji (Feast of the Sacrifice)
25 Dec Christmas Day

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
23 Jan - 24 Jan Chinese New Year
6 Apr Good Friday
28 Apr Vesak Day (Birth of the Buddha)
1 May Labor Day
9 Aug National Day
19 Aug Hari Raya Puasa (End of Ramadan)
25 Oct Hari Raya Haji (Feast of the Sacrifice)
13 Nov Deepavali
25 Dec Christmas Day
(a) Not all Muslim festivals listed above are national holidays, but all will affect Muslim businesses. Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Hari Raya Puasa (Eid al-Fitr), Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Hari Raya Puasa itself. Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji (Eid al-Adha) may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the town. (b) Hindu festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is only possible to forecast the month of their occurrence.

Contact Information

High Commission for the Republic of Singapore in the UK

9 Wilton Crescent, London SW1X 8SP, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 8315.
Website: www.mfa.gov.sg/london
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1200 and 1400-1600 (visa section).

Singapore Tourism Board in the UK

Singapore Center, Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, London WC2N 5HR, UK
Tel: (020) 7484 2710.
Website: www.visitsingapore.com

Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in the USA

3501 International Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 537 3100.
Website: www.mfa.gov.sg/washington

Singapore Tourism Board in the USA

1156 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 702, New York, NY 10036, USA
Tel: (212) 302 4861.
Website: www.visitsingapore.com