Merlion on the Sea - Singapore

At the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, at the entrance and exit of the Strait of Malacca, the numerous islands scattered around have shaped the world-renowned Southeast Asian miracle - Singapore.

What is Singapore? One of the four Asian dragons? The miracle of the rise of small countries? Abandoning these eye-catching labels and tracing back to the source, the Merlion is the essence of Singapore.

Singapore stands on the seaside, far away from civilization, and has historically belonged to other civilizations or countries. After the discovery and naming of Singapore by Prince Saint Nile Utama from the Kingdom of Three Buddhas in the 14th century, Singapore became known as the Lion City (Sanskrit). Since then, this new land has opened a new chapter.

Singapore was born on the sea, and its indomitable and courageous spirit has become the foundation of the Merlion. With a current and international perspective, Singapore has transformed from a fishing port into an internationally renowned commercial port. Fish, agile and pragmatic; Lion, strong and majestic. The Merlion, which blends the two, is the most concrete form of Singapore. The flexible and pragmatic development attitude and strong economic vitality make the Merlion stand firm in the flood of history.

丨 Geographical location and advantages

Singapore is located at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, facing Sumatra Island across the sea. It consists of Singapore Island and 63 nearby small islands, with a land area of 733.2 square kilometers. The overall terrain is low and flat, with a coastline of 193 kilometers. The Strait of Malacca, adjacent to Singapore, is a transportation hub that connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and is currently one of the busiest straits in the world.

丨 Population, ethnicity, language

The total population of Singapore is 5.6858 million, with a resident labor force of 2.3455 million. The proportion of university or above resident labor force in the total resident labor force is 39.1%. The population is in a dividend period, with a high level of education and good educational quality.

The early immigration of Singapore can be traced back to the underground Southern Ocean trends in Fujian, Guangdong, and other areas in the first half of the 19th century.

Guided by the dual favorable factors of China's reform and opening up and Singapore's policy of introducing overseas talents, Singapore experienced two waves of immigration in the 1980s and 1990s.

Due to historical, policy, geographical location, and other reasons, the Chinese, Malay, and Indian ethnic groups have become their main ethnic groups. As of August 2021, the population of Singapore is approximately 74% Chinese, with the rest being Malays, Indians, and other ethnic groups. English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil have become official languages.

丨 Religion

Singapore has a large number of religious beliefs, accounting for approximately 83% of the total population, among which Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism are all considered its mainstream denominations. There is mutual tolerance among religions, and temples abound. Buddhism is the largest religion in Singapore, accounting for approximately 33% of the population. Taoism accounts for approximately 11% of the population, while Hinduism accounts for approximately 5%. The majority of Singaporeans are Sunni Muslims.

丨 Economy

Singapore is a foreign trade driven economy with a focus on electronics, petrochemicals, finance, shipping, and service industries. It is highly dependent on China, the United States, Japan, Europe, and surrounding markets, and its total foreign trade is three times that of GDP.

After World War II, Singapore undertook the transfer of labor-intensive industries from European and American countries and vigorously developed