This article originally appeared in the 2025 World Championship Preview issue of the SwimSwam Magazine. Subscribe here.
1. Singapore’s national anthem is on its $1,000 note.
On Singapore’s $1,000 banknote, the lyrics of the national anthem, “Majulah Singapura” (“Onward Singapore”), are inscribed in incredibly tiny micro-text that can only be read with a magnifying glass. This subtle feature is both a tribute to national pride and a security measure to prevent counterfeiting.
2. Singapore is one of only three surviving city-states in the world.
Singapore stands out globally as a sovereign city-state, meaning the country consists of a single city that is also an independent nation. It shares this rare status with Monaco and Vatican City, making it one of only three such entities in the modern world. Despite its small size, Singapore has managed to become a global financial hub and a leader in urban innovation.
3. It’s called “Lion City”; however, there have never been lions in Singapore.
According to legend, Sang Nila Utama, a 13th-century Srivijayan prince, landed on the island during a storm. After seeing a majestic creature he believed to be a lion, he took it as a good omen and named the island “Singapura”—from “singa” (lion) and “pura” (city). Interestingly, lions are not native to Singapore, and it’s widely believed that he may have seen a tiger or another animal.
4. Singapore includes 63 additional islands.
Singapore’s territory extends beyond its urbanized mainland to encompass 63 smaller islands. These include well-known destinations like Sentosa, Pulau Ubin, and St. John’s Island, as well as many others that serve industrial, military, or conservation purposes. Most of these islands are uninhabited and off-limits to the public.
5. Singapore is among the 20 smallest countries in the world.
Despite its limited space—approximately half the size of Los Angeles—Singapore has managed to develop into one of the most densely populated and economically advanced countries in the world. The country has embraced vertical development and even land reclamation to manage land scarcity to expand its usable territory. With a total land area of only 682.7 square kilometers. The United States is about 15,000 times bigger.
6. The meaning of their flag.
Singapore’s national flag, adopted in 1959 before complete independence in 1965, is rich in symbolic meaning. The red and white colors reflect the values the young nation strives to uphold, while the crescent moon represents growth and a hopeful future. The five stars act as guiding principles that continue to shape Singapore’s society and governance.
7. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve holds more species of trees than the entire North American continent.
Despite being only about 1.64 square kilometers in size, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot. Located in the heart of Singapore, it contains over 800 species of flowering plants and more than 500 species of animals. The reserve is a remnant of Singapore’s original tropical rainforest and showcases the nation’s strong commitment to environmental conservation.
8. Singapore buildings cannot exceed 280 meters.
To ensure safe air traffic, Singapore has imposed a height limit of 280 meters (approximately 918 feet) on buildings. Currently, the country’s tallest buildings—OUB Centre, UOB Plaza One, and Republic Plaza—all reach this limit. These skyscrapers form an iconic part of Singapore’s central business district skyline.
9. The Guinness Book record for the longest human domino chain was set in Singapore.
In an event that demonstrated teamwork and school spirit, 9,234 students from various educational institutions in Singapore lined up to create a human domino chain that stretched an impressive 4.2 kilometers. When the first person fell backward, it triggered a domino effect all the way through, earning the country a spot in the Guinness World Records.
10. Singapore has more than 3,000 kilometers of roads.
Although the country is compact, its road network is incredibly dense and well-maintained. With over 3,000 kilometers of roads packed into such a small area, Singapore has implemented advanced traffic management systems and policies like Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) to manage congestion efficiently. The total length is enough to span the distance between Singapore and Hong Kong—over 2,500 kilometers away.
Ashton tan is there!
Singapore has the distinction of being the only country in history to be granted independence against its will (it was essentially kicked out of Malaysia in 1965).
Caning is a routine corporal punishment handed down in Singapore. The caning of an American teenager in 1994 was a major international incident.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_of_Michael_Fay
Maybe not a “fun” fact per se, but very interesting!
Singapore is also ranked as the 5th safest country via the GPI(Global Peace Index) due to its zero tolerance policy on drugs. It is also consistently ranked as one of the cleanest countries in the world. Also not a “fun” fact, but also very interesting!
Singapore is the only country which is also a city and an island.
(Been to Singapore many times, it’s a fun place to go for a long weekend, more than 3 days and you’d get bored)
Singapore is good at creating people who get “pissed” in practice and then bomb out and go 50.7 when it matters and get smoked by Remel Caeleb
Long way to go to land that punchline.
Also, look up restrictions on things like chewing gum. Sounds like a fun place.
It’s a lot safer than most, if not all, American cities of the same size. Walked alone through a major park on the way to my hotel, and didn’t have an issue. Some of my friends did the same thing on the south side of Chicago and were beaten up pretty badly.
There’s probably an argument to make that it is the single safest (large) city in the world
I wonder if people from Singapore feel constricted knowing you can’t travel more than 30 miles without leaving the country.
I would love to visit if I could fit the travel into my plans.
it’s really not that bad, there’s a lot of things that are packed into the city. It really depends on what you like to do but it really has everything. Shopping, nature, sightseeing places, and much more.