Singapore, an island city-state off southern Malaysia, is a global financial centre with a tropical climate and multicultural population. In circa-1820 Chinatown stands the red-and-gold Buddha’s Tooth Relic Temple, Little India offers colorful souvenirs and Arab Street is lined with fabric shops. Singapore is also known for eclectic street fare, served in hawker centres such as Tiong Bahru and Maxwell Road.
Region
Southeast Asia
Neighbours
An independent city-state on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore is comprised of one major island—Singapore Island—and more than 50 adjacent islets. The narrow Johore Strait separates Singapore Island from Malaysia on the north. On the south, Singapore Strait, an important shipping channel, separates the island from the Riau Islands of Indonesia.
Area
648 square kilometres (250 square miles)