Just a century ago, the Lion City was economically deprived and architecturally barren, but that is definitely not the case anymore.
Singapore has emerged as one of the most important financial centers and centers of Urban Planning in the world. It has become a model for other developing nations.
Here are 9 things you should know about the city that has been ranked the most expensive city in the world for four years in a row-
1. Rich PM
The prime minister of Singapore is the highest-paid government official in the world. The prime minister of Singapore is also the highest-paid elected official in the world.
The annual salary of the prime minister of Singapore is about 1.5 million US dollars. To compare how high it is, the Indian PM, who rules over 200 times more population than Singapore, gets around 32,000 US dollars as salary and other perks.
2. Insanely densely populated
Singapore is the second-most densely populated nation in the world, with around 7600 people per km². The first is Monaco with 18,000 people per km².
3. The Largest Fountain in 1998
Singapore has the largest fountain in the world, called the Fountain of Wealth, located in Suntec City.
It cost around 6 million dollars to build and was listed as the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998. Dubai’s Palm Fountain broke its record in October 2020 to become the largest fountain.
4. Visit the zoo at night
Singapore was the first country to open a night zoo in 1994. Unlike many other zoos, Singapore’s night zoo allows visitors to observe animals when they are the most active.
This is perfect for wildlife enthusiasts who want to watch their favorite big cats and nocturnal animals in a way they have never seen before.
5. The government will find a date for you
The government of Singapore will come to your rescue and help you find a date or a life partner when you are not able to do it by yourself.
A social development network has been established by the government, and its key responsibility is to equip singles with relationship and dating skills and ensure that credible dating services are available so that people can effectively find their partners.
6. It imports even sand and water
Singapore is one of the 20 smallest countries in the world. Being a tiny country, it also does not have any natural resources, so it has to import everything it needs. It imports not only sand but also freshwater from Malaysia.
7. You’ll be taxed if you sin
Apart from taxing the wealthy people of the country, Singapore taxes almost everything sin-related. Alcohol, tobacco, and betting are highly taxed. In 2014, the government even increased taxes on such items by about 25-30%.
This has done wonders for the economy, and the government has been able to provide subsidies regarding healthcare.
8. Incredibly expensive to drive
As the country is quite small, you can even ride across the country in a few hours. To avoid overcrowding, the government of Singapore has made it extremely expensive to drive a car.
To put things into perspective, the cost of owning the cheapest Ferrari would cost you under 250,000 dollars, including the taxes in London; the same car in Singapore would cost around 4 times more than that.
9. It is the Fine City
Singapore is given the nickname of the Fine City by tourists, as you can get big-dollar fines for the smallest of infractions. You could be fined for not flushing a public toilet or for chewing gum.
The fine for not flushing a toilet is 150$. But banning the sale of chewing gum is even crazier. If you are a first-time offender, you could be fined 1000 or 2 years in prison.
If you are caught again, you might want to give up your income for a few months, as the fine costs around 2000 dollars or 4 years in jail.
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