What Will You Learn About Singapore?
You will gain an understanding of a number of key areas including: 1. Language 2. Religion and beliefs 3. Culture and society 4. Social etiquette and manners 5. Business culture and etiquette
Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia Capital:Singapore Population: 5,567,301 (2014 est.) Ethnic Make-up:Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% Religions:Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist Business Culture: Ranked 25th in the Business Culture Complexity Index™
Language in Singapore
Singapore has attempted to promote a national identity in its land of immigrants since its independence in 1965. As part of this effort, Singapore has four national languages: Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. For business and politics, English is the language of choice. The famous Merlion overlooks Singapore's iconic Marina Bay Sands. Photo by J...
Singapore Society & Culture
The Family
Etiquette and Customs in Singapore
Meeting and Greeting
What are the local customs and traditions in Singapore?
In this first article of the series, we take a look at 13 local customs and traditions in Singapore that everyone should know. 1. Take off your shoes before entering the house Source Most of us don’t have carpets either. This applies to almost every household in Singapore.
Where does Singapore’s culture come from?
The editorial staff of National Geographic was not involved in the preparation or production of this content. Singapore today runs rich with cultural practices and traditions brought over by its forefathers from across the region, including China, India and the Malay Archipelago.
How to preserve Singapore's cultural identity?
To preserve the Singapore cultural identity, some traditional businesses and, multi-generational family businesses such as confectionaries for example, have rebranded themselves and updated their packaging designs in an effort to appeal to the more social media-savvy generation.
What makes Singapore unique?
But what really thrives within the city is beyond what the eyes see. Made up of Chinese, Malay, Indian and various other ethnicities, cultural heritage is what makes Singapore, Singapore — a congregation of different cultures coexisting in one congenial space. Cultural heritage is an important part of a Singaporean’s identity.
Our Army: Customs and Traditions