SINGAPORE ACCESS
Singapore, city, capital of the Republic of Singapore. It occupies the southern part of Singapore Island. Its strategic position on the strait between the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, complemented by its deepwater harbour, has made it the largest port in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s greatest commercial centres. The city, once a distinct entity, so came to dominate the island that the Republic of Singapore essentially became a city-state.
Singapore—known variously as the “Lion City” or “Garden City,” the latter for its many parks and tree-lined streets—has also been called “instant Asia” because it offers the tourist an expeditious glimpse into the cultures brought to it by immigrants from all parts of Asia. While predominantly Chinese, it has substantial minorities of Malays and Indians
According to Malay tradition, the island was visited by a prince who came from the Sumatran empire of Śrivijaya and founded and named the city of Singapura. Portuguese records also have it that the city was founded by a Śrivijayan prince from Palembang. Sacked by the Majapahit Javanese during the 14th century, it was supplanted by Malacca (Melaka) but remained a port of call. Its modern history began with the arrival of Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company, who, in searching for a trading site, landed there on January 29, 1819. The port’s growth was steady, and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships increased its importance as a bunkering station. Its growth was assured by the demand for the tin and rubber of the Malay Peninsula, for which the port was a natural shipping outlet.
Created a city by royal charter in 1951, Singapore was administered as a municipality by an elected mayor-council government from 1957 until 1959, when the colony became self-governing. After 1963 the administration of the city and rural areas was handled by the central government.
Singapore’s port area, one of the world’s largest, covers 36 square miles (93 square km). The Port of Singapore Authority operates six gateways (Jurong port, Container Terminal, Keppel, Telok Ayer, Sembawang, and Pasir Panjang wharves) that provide facilities for vessels ranging from oceangoing liners to lighters. The Keppel wharves, which lie protected between the islands of Brani and Sentosa, are deepwater and contain major docks and warehouses. Keppel is Southeast Asia’s major transshipment point for exports of oil, rubber, plywood, lumber, and spices. The port’s main imports include machinery, textiles, and rice. The Malayan rail system from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur terminates at Singapore.
The traditional city proper stretches north and east of the port area and is characterized by low (140–150-foot [40–50-metre]) hills. Within the city run the Singapore and Rochor rivers, which are tidal inlets crowded with native craft. The original settlement north of the Singapore River remains the heart of the city; it is the locale of the principal commercial, government, and public buildings and the Anglican St. Andrew’s Cathedral (1862).