102925    Many people marvel at the beauty of Singapore and her progressiveness.

102926    Most impressive to note is that she was formerly just a humble fishing village, inhabited by an indigenous settlement.

102927    Fast forward to today.

102928    Singapore is a bustling cosmopolitan city populated with high-rise buildings and landscape gardens.

102929    Brimming with a harmonious blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture, Singapore is a dynamic city that’s rich in contrast and colour.

102930    In fact, you can even say that Singapore embodies the finest of both East and West.

102931    Located in Southeast Asia, Singapore has a land area of about 710 square kilometres, making her one of the smallest countries in the world and the smallest in the region – hence the moniker “The Little Red Dot”.

102932    Although small in size, Singapore commands an enormous presence in the world today with its free trade economy and highly efficient workforce.

102933    Also, her strategic location in the region has enabled her to become a central sea port along major shipping routes.

102934    Other than having a sound business infrastructure and favourable economic climate, another factor for Singapore’s rapid growth is due to a stable and competent ruling government.

102935    Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a political system that’s centred on democracy.

102936    The current ruling party in government is The People’s Action Party (PAP), which has dominated the political process since self-government in 1959.

102937    At present, Singapore’s population stands at about five million people, with English as the main language of instruction, and a mother tongue for each major ethnicity.

102938    One of the distinctly Singaporean things you’ll notice on our island is a ubiquitous collage of cultures.

102939    Coming together as a society and living in harmony, there are four major races – namely the Chinese (majority), Malay, Indian and Eurasian.