8 Fun Facts About Singapore

We’ve collected eight fun facts about Singapore, from its creation of the World Toilet Organization to its laws and its hosting of the first Formula 1 night race.

When I studied abroad at university, I had two choices: Singapore or South Korea. On one side was the modern Singapore, known for its sustainability and its “interesting” laws. On the other, South Korea with its delicious food and comparably less strict rules.

Ultimately, I chose to go to South Korea. Nearly a decade later, Singapore is still at the top of my list of countries I want to visit in Asia.

Let’s jump into the interesting facts about Singapore that convinced me I would have loved Singapore just as much as I love South Korea.

1.) There have never been any lions in Singapore despite being known as Lion City

Singapore is known as the “Lion City”, but no lions have ever lived in Singapore. The name Lion City comes from a legend about a 14th-century Sumatran prince, Sang Nila Utama. When he went hunting on an island near Singapore, he spotted a strange creature.

Animal picture books were apparently still a few centuries off, leading the prince to mistake the creature for a lion. Inspired, Sang Nila Utama renamed the island “Singapura,” derived from the Sanskrit “Simha,” meaning lion, and “Pura,” meaning city.

2.) Singapore founded the World Toilet Organization

Singapore founded the World Toilet Organization (WTO) on November 19, 2001, with the mission to improve global sanitation and toilet conditions worldwide. The other WTO, the World Trade Organization, can move aside for the real WTO; it’s business time.

All joking aside, the WTO is an important non-profit that aims to break the silence around the sanitation crisis globally. We often take for granted the sanitation systems that keep the pipes flowing smoothly beneath our cities and communities. According to the WTO, over 2.5 billion people don’t have access to toilets and poor sanitation is a leading cause child deaths.

The World Toilet Organization started World Toilet Day on November 19th every year to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis. They also host the World Toilet Summit, where experts, government officials and activities gather to discuss global sanitation challenges. Sadly, no, 10,000 hours of experience with toilets won’t get you a seat as a toilet expert.

3.) Trees cover almost half of Singapore

Singapore is one of the world’s greenest cities, with almost half of the entire country covered in trees. More than 40% of Singapore is green, in the form of nature reserves, gardens, parks and skyrise greenery.

As if the names ‘Singapore’ and ‘Lion City’ weren’t enough, the country is also known as the Garden City. The Singapore government has a plan to transform the city from a garden city to a city in a garden. Well on their way, here are some of the top green spaces in Singapore:

• Gardens by the Bay: A futuristic park with Supertrees, conservatories and themed gardens.
• Supertree Grove: Iconic vertical gardens with solar panels and evening light shows.
• Cloud Forest: A cool, misty conservatory showcasing lush plants from tropical mountains.
• Singapore Botanic Gardens: A UNESCO World Heritage Site containing exhibits like the National Orchid Garden with over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrid orchids.
• HSBC Rain Vortex: The world’s tallest indoor waterfall (40 meters) located in Jewel at Singapore’s international airport, Changi.
• Bukit Timah Hill: The highest natural point in Singapore at 537 feet tall, and located within Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
• Pulau Ubin: A nearby island with traditional kampong villages and miles of cycling trails through forests and wetlands.

4.) Singapore hosted the first Formula 1 night race in the Marina Bay Street Circuit

In 2008 Singapore held the first-ever Formula 1 night race as a part of the Singapore Grand Prix. The city used powerful floodlights to simulate daylight so that the race could be held at night and European fans could watch live during their day.

The 3.146-mile track is known to be one of the most physically demanding street circuits and a highlight of the F1 Calendar. New York might be the city that never sleeps, but do they have a nocturnal zoo? After watching the Singapore Grand Prix at night, you can head to the Night Safari, the world’s first night zoo and home to nocturnal animals.

5.) Singapore is both a country and a city

Singapore is both a country and a city, one of the few city-states in the world, alongside Monaco and Vatican City. A city-state is a sovereign state that is made of a single city with its own, independent government.

Since city-states consist of only a single city, they tend to be small. Singapore is the smallest country in Southeast Asia, while fellow city-state Vatican City is the smallest in the entire world. Here are the five smallest countries in Southeast Asia:

5 Smallest Countries by Surface Area in Southeast Asia

6.) The national language of Singapore is Malay

The national language of Singapore is Malay due to the country’s historical ties with Malaysia. The national motto, “Majulah Singapura,” is in the Malay language and means “Onward Singapore”.

Singapore has a total of four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Amongst the official languages of Singapore, English is the most spoken, with 48.3% of the population reporting speaking English at home in the 2020 census.

7.) Singapore isn’t just one island: it’s 64 different islands

People often think of Singapore as just a single island, but it is in fact made up of 64 different islands. While the main island is where the majority of the population lives, there are many inhabited and uninhabited islands scattered around Singapore.

The most famous islands are:

• Sentosa Island
• Pulau Ujon
• Hantu Island
• Lazarus Island
• Pulau Ubin
• Serangoon Island

Cyclists on a forest path in Serangoon Island, Singapore.

8.) Singapore is also known as the “fine city” due to its many strict laws

Singapore has earned yet another name: the ‘fine city’ or the ‘fine country’. I for one think its time to submit a petition to change the country’s official name to the “City of Never Ending Names”.

Singapore is called fine city because of its cleanliness and many strict laws. First time offenders of the unique and specific laws can face fines ranging from $500 to $2,000 USD.

You can decide which of these laws you’d like to see in your own city, and which are better left to Singapore. Here are some of the more unique rules of Singapore:

• Chewing gum is banned: Singapore banned chewing gum in 1992 and bringing it into the country is prohibited. The only exception is gum for medicinal purposes, like nicotine gum for quitting smoking, which requires a prescription.
• Litterers publicly shamed: Public shaming is used as a deterrent for littering offenders, who can be made to wear a brightly colored vest while cleaning public areas.
• Flushing Public Toilets: It’s illegal to not flush a public toilet, and offenders can be fined when caught or reported.
• Walking Naked at Home: It’s illegal to walk around naked in your own home when you can be seen by others.
• Feeding Pigeons: Feeding pigeons is illegal due to the potential health hazards and cleanliness issues it causes. Sorry Grandma.
• Private cars are discouraged: Singapore is the most expensive city in the world to own a car, according to the Guinness World Records. Car owners in Singapore must pay exorbitant fees and taxes to own a car. In 2018 the average car cost $86,412 USD, rising to nearly $92,000 USD by 2023.