10 Things You Didn't Know About Singapore

  Here are some interesting statistics and tidbits about Singapore, which I just learned myself and thought you may find of interest as well.


Source: NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia  (www.tischasia.nyu.edu.sg)

1. Singapore has one of the world’s most diverse and vibrant culinary traditions (according to the New Yorker Magazine)

                 Diverse alright...

This is a picture taken of Jason's entree from one night last week at a business dinner. 

 Jason said the the lobster was still  moving while sitting on the platter. 

After given a bowl of hot water, Jason said he was instructed to place the unseasoned lobster tail in the water bowl and let the tail "cook" for a few minutes.

2. Singapore, long a center of religious and ethnic diversity, is home to people who practice various forms of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, and Judaism.

3. The Singapore Arts Festival is one of the leading international arts festivals. This past year, over 700,000 people saw 496 performances and installations. The festival featured performers and art from many countries, including Spain, USA, China, Belgian, France, Australia, and UK.

4. Singapore is a growing center for Animation and Interactive Gaming technology (home to operations of Lucas Arts, Electronic Arts, Koei, and Southern Star)

5. It takes 55 minutes to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2.5 hours to Jakarta, Indonesia; 2 hours to Vietnam; 2.5 hours to Bangkok, Thailand; 3.5 hours to Manila, Philippines; 6.5 hours to Tokyo, Japan; 3.5 hours to Hong Kong; 6 hours to Seoul, South Korea; 5 hours to Shanghai, China.

                     This map shows where Singapore is in relation to other countries in Asia

      Source: http://math.nie.edu.sg

                      This map shows Singapore's position in South East Asia and neighbouring countries

Source: http://math.nie.edu.sg

             

6. Singapore’s health system ranked 6th out of the world’s 191 countries according to the 2006 World Health Organization’s World Health Report.


7. Singapore is the 2nd most network-ready country in the world (according the World Bank)



8. Singapore is the easiest place to do business in the world (according to the World Bank and Forbes Magazine)


9. According to the Department of Statistics for the Government of Singapore, about one-fifth of Singapore’s population are from abroad.

10. In the past 2 years alone, Singapore Shanghai Airport has been recognized 26 times as the best airport in the world. Accolades received from Condé Nast Traveler, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, World Travel Awards, and Global Finance.



  If time allows, we are hoping to venture out to Indonesia and Malaysia since we are living out this way.  Bali is one such Indonesian island we would really like visit.  We are also thinking of taking a ferry across to Malaysia one weekend.

  I have already begun looking into the various performances scheduled at the Esplanade Performing Arts Venue.  Hopefully, we can catch a Broadway play or two!

  There is definitely not a shortage of things to do here!

Alaina