World Travel 4 Indians

The place name "Singapore" is derived from Singa-pura ("City of the Lion"), a commonly used term since the fourteenth century. The main cultural traditions are Malay, Indian, Chinese, and to some extent Western (British).

The different communities do not regard themselves as sharing a culture; instead, they consider themselves parts of a whole.

This is illustrated by reference to a popular local dish, Rojak, a salad in which the various ingredients are covered by the same peanut sauce, forming a distinct whole with each ingredient clearly discernible.

The peanut sauce is Singaporeanness; the other ingredients are the different cultural traditions.

Location and Geography. Singapore lies at the tip of the Malay peninsula.
It borders Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. Its area is 248 square miles (642 square kilometers), including the main island and some sixty islets.

The main island is flat with a hilly region in the middle. The highest point is Bukit Timah, feet (206 meters) above sea level.

The climate is tropical with high humidity and abundant rainfall, especially during the northeast monsoon in December to March.

The period of the southwest monsoon (June to September) is usually the driest.

The main island is fully urbanized with a dense commercial city center to the south.

Around the city center are new townships that house about 86 percent of the population.

The townships are self-contained and have high-rise apartment blocks, shops, medical and social service buildings, religious buildings, and schools; they are well connected by the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRT), which circles the island.

Demography. Singapore has a population of about three million, 2.7 million of whom are citizens and permanent residents.

The other three hundred thousand are mainly foreign workers. The Chinese constitute about 78 percent, the Malays 14 percent, the Indians 7 percent, and others 1 percent of the population. The ethnic composition of the population has been relatively stable.

Linguistic Affiliation. Singapore is a multilingual state. The national language is Malay, and the four official languages are Malay, English, Indian (Tamil), and Chinese (Mandarin).

English is the administrative language and the medium of instruction in schools. Pupils also choose one of the "mother tongues": Malay, Tamil, and Chinese. There are various subdialects of the different languages.

Singapore is a small and relatively small amalgamation of Chinese, Malay, European and Indian immigrants.

Thus, the Singapore Culture reflects a great diversity among the population in their practices and cultural affiliations.

At first glance, Singapore appears shockingly modern and anonymous, but this is an undeniably Asian city with Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions from feng shui to ancestor worship creating part of the everyday landscape.

Singapore Culture these contrasts that bring the city to life. In short, it is a cosmopolitan society where people live harmoniously and interaction among different races is commonly seen.

Behind the facade of a modern city, several ethnic races are still evident. Although the bulk of Singaporeans do think of themselves as Singaporeans, regardless of race or culture, each ethnic race still bears its own unique character.

Each racial group has its own individual religion and there are colorful festivals of special implication all year round. Although the festivals are special to certain races, it is nonetheless enjoyed by all.

Singapore Culture, there are lots of cuisines to offer. There is Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Spanish, French, Thai and even Fusion.

Indian food is relatively spicier, whereas Chinese food is less spicy and the Chinese enjoy seafood. Malay cooking uses coconut milk as their main ingredient that makes their food very tasty.

Most Singaporeans celebrate the major festivals connected with their respective religions. Religious variety reflects the diversity of races living there.

The Chinese are predominantly followers of Buddhism and Taoism; some are often considered as 'free-thinkers' (those who do not belong to any religion). Malays have the Muslims and Indians are Hindus.

There are a sizeable number of Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian population. Thus, religious toleration is very much necessary for the Singaporeans.

The four official languages of Singapore are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is the most common language used and is the language which unites the different ethnic groups.

Children are taught in English at school but also learn their mother tongue to make sure they don't lose contact with their traditions. Many Singaporeans use Singlish to communicate. Singlish is a mix of English with other languages mixed into the English.