(Photo from China Daily APP)
China and Singapore have long been close partners in every aspect of collaboration, and Xi's visit comes at a very special moment as 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two.
What do you know about Singapore?
How much do you know about this little Southeast Asian dynamo?
You thought you had the pocket republic all figured out from soup to nuts. A dynamic financial services mecca, with Merlions and Sir Stamford Raffles everywhere, frenetic Orchard Road's bustling shopping district, a compact central business district that serves as the pulse of the city-state, a mammoth port, chilli crab, enviable GDP per capita, Singapore Slings at the Long Bar, etcetera, etcetera.
There's a lot more to Singapore than meets the eye. The country may be small, but it is pretty interesting. Here are 15 things that you probably didn't know!
1. Singapore has four official languages.
English is ubiquitous and the official language widely used in commerce, government and academia. Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil form the other official languages of the country.
2. Singapore has the second biggest port in the world.
The Port of Singapore, which handled 537.6 million tons of cargo in 2012, ranks the second biggest port in the world. This is surprising for a tiny city state. It is also the busiest container transshipment hub in the world, offering connectivity to over 600 ports in 123 countries.
3. Singapore is best known for being a leading financial centre in Asia.
Singapore is one of the most successful Asian tiger economies, with a per capita GDP of $60,500 US, fifth in the world. In just over four decades, Singapore has established a thriving financial centre of international repute, serving not only its domestic economy, but also the wider Asia Pacific region. Singapore's financial centre offers a broad range of financial services including banking, insurance, investment banking and treasury services.
4. The country has the world's best shopping avenue.
Orchard Road of Singapore has been ranked as the number one shopping district in the entire world. It compares favorably with the best shopping centers of Paris and London.
5. Every male citizen has to serve the Singapore Army.
Singapore has a robust military for such a wee city-state, which has made it mandatory for all its male citizens to serve the Army. Conscription adjures that all male citizens and second-generation permanent residents enroll at the age of 18.
6. 100% of the country is urban.
Singapore has achieved the remarkable status of a completely urbanized city state. Kampong Buangkok is said to be the last village known in the island state. This truly underscores the hyper pace of change in the city-state over the last few decades and it reflects the progressive mindset of the government and planners of Singapore.
7. Singapore has the fastest walkers on the planet.
Singaporeans are ranked as the fastest walkers in the word with the average step speed of 1.7 meters per second. The stampede at local train stations and roads is proof.
8. The first country to have a World Toilet Organization.
Cleanliness is the national craze and therefore Singapore became the first country to launch the World Toilet Organization. The aim of the organization is to improve the sanitation facilities around the world.
9. The country has a climate of summer temperatures all year round.
Singapore's climate is tropical, so temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Average temperatures range between about 23 and 32°C (73 to 90°F). The weather is generally hot and humid.
10. A small nature reserve has an amazingly huge variety of trees.
Singapore's Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is said to have a greater variety of flora and fauna as compared to entire continents in the world, which is amazing for this tropical country.
11. Singapore Flyer is the tallest Ferris wheel on the planet.
At a height of 165m, Singapore Flyer is the world's largest Giant Observation Wheel (outside the United States) and also one of Asia's biggest tourist attractions. It is even taller than the leading observation wheels such as the Southern Star of Melbourne, the London Eye, the Star of Nanjing, and the Suzhou Ferris wheel.
12. Singapore ranks third in population density in the world.
Singapore is also one of the most crowded states on this planet. The city-state of Singapore boasts a population of about 5,354,000, packed in at a density of more than 7,000 people per square kilometer (almost 19,000 per square mile). It is the third-most densely populated country in the world, after only the Chinese territory of Macau and Monaco.
13. Singapore has a thing for record-breaking waterfalls.
At 30 metres high, the waterfall in Jurong Bird Park is the highest manmade waterfall in the world. It is located in breathtaking 'Forest Valley': A lush environment filled with thousands of trees, plants, ferns and shrubs for visitors to immerse themselves in a green valley of verdant landscaping and waterfalls.
14. Singapore has a height restriction on buildings of 280 meters.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has imposed a restriction of the maximum height of 280 m for any building in its business district, because of its proximity with airports yet it has 4300 tall buildings with around 50 skyscrapers, which makes it a city of skyscrapers. Singapore is also one of the best cities in the world in terms of architecture.
15. Singaporeans love acronyms.
If you live or work in Singapore, not a day goes by without hearing things like HDB, ECP, ERP, PAP, CTE, SBS… Most of the acronyms used in Singapore are abbreviations for expressways, but some of them refer to uniquely Singaporean systems (like ERP) or types of buildings (HDB)…. Also, organizations and companies in Singapore are very often referred to by their initials. They definitely are a must-know if you plan to work in Singapore.
