Singapore is a city-state of about 6.1 million people spread over a main island and more than 60 smaller ones, and it has packed in a night zoo, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and a three-tower hotel with a park on its roof. This page collects 15 verified facts about Singapore as of October 2026, from its 1299 founding legend to its 2026 airport ranking.
Alux has long called it one of the most expensive cities on Earth, and the numbers back that up. Here is what is actually true, what has changed since our earlier list and what we removed because it no longer holds.
| Fact | Key figure |
|---|---|
| Population | About 6.1 million (mid-2025) |
| Islands | Over 60 |
| Night Safari opened | 1994 |
| Marina Bay Sands cost | S$8 billion (2010) |
| Rain Vortex height | 40 metres |
| Residents in public housing | About 80% (2025) |
| Skytrax World’s Best Airport | 13 titles, latest 2025 |
1. Singapore is a city-state, and a crowded one
Singapore is both a city and a country. At mid-2025 it had a total population of 6,110,200, of whom 59.9% were citizens and the rest permanent residents, students, workers and dependants. Reclamation has grown its land area by more than 30% since the 1960s.
2. The Lion City name comes from a legend
The Malay Annals say that in 1299 Sang Nila Utama founded the Kingdom of Singapura on the island. The name derives from the Sanskrit for lion city. Historians debate how much of the story is true, and there were no wild lions on the island.
3. It has more than 60 islands
Singapore has a main island and over 60 satellite islands and islets. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of the smaller ones. Some are open to visitors, while others are used for military training or industry.
4. It opened the world’s first nocturnal zoo
The Night Safari opened on 26 May 1994 on 35 hectares of secondary rainforest next to the Singapore Zoo. It cost S$63 million to build. It is now one of five parks in Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
5. Marina Bay Sands was the world’s priciest standalone casino resort
When it opened in 2010, the resort was reported as the world’s most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion (about US$6.88 billion). Its SkyPark, 200 metres up, covers 12,400 square metres and is longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall.
In October 2024 the owner announced a further US$8 billion expansion, called IR2, with 570 luxury suites and a 15,000-seat arena.
6. Almost 80% of residents live in public housing
In 2025, close to 80% of Singapore’s resident population lived in public housing, down from a high of 88.0% in 2000. Most flats are sold on 99-year leases, which can be resold under certain rules. It is not a sign of poverty here; it is the norm.
7. Its Botanic Gardens are a World Heritage Site
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is one of only three gardens honoured as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the only tropical one. Its National Orchid Garden holds about 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids, and the gardens draw about 4.5 million visitors a year. The country’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, was chosen in 1981.
8. Gardens by the Bay holds a record-size greenhouse
The Flower Dome was listed in the 2015 Guinness World Records as the largest glass greenhouse, at 1.2 hectares. Next to it, the Cloud Forest has a 42-metre mountain clad in orchids and ferns.
9. The world’s tallest indoor waterfall is at the airport
The Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport is 40 metres high and was opened on 18 October 2019. Jewel welcomed more than 80 million visitors in 2024, a record. The waterfall recirculates rainwater and falls through a round opening in the roof.
10. Changi has been named best airport 13 times
Skytrax has named Changi the World’s Best Airport 13 times, including eight in a row from 2013 to 2020 and again in 2025. The airport has won over 700 awards. Our earlier list called it the best airport to sleep in; we left that out because we could not verify it today.
11. Singapore moved its clocks in 1982
On 1 January 1982 Singapore moved half an hour forward to UTC+8, to match Malaysia’s decision to standardise. The country has not used daylight saving time since.
12. Chewing gum was banned in 1992
The government outlawed gum, citing damage to MRT train doors and general cleanliness. Since 2004, sugarless gum can be sold in pharmacies if a doctor or dentist prescribes it, as a result of a trade agreement with the United States.
13. Hawker food has UNESCO status and a Michelin star
UNESCO inscribed Singapore’s hawker culture on its list of intangible cultural heritage on 16 December 2020. In 2016 two hawker stalls became the first street-food vendors with a Michelin star; as of 2025 only one hawker still holds one.
14. It tops the charts for cost and wealth
Singapore has the highest PPP-adjusted GDP per capita in the world and is the only Asian country with an AAA sovereign rating from all major agencies. It has repeatedly ranked among the most expensive cities for expatriates, and was named the world’s most expensive city for three straight years in 2016 by the Economist Intelligence Unit, and tied with Zurich at the top in 2023.
15. Its highest hill is only about 164 metres
Bukit Timah Hill is the highest natural point at roughly 163 to 164 metres. The surrounding reserve, together with the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, houses more than 840 species of flowering plants and more than 500 species of fauna. It is one of the largest remaining patches of primary rainforest in Singapore.
What changed since our earlier list
Several items we ran earlier have been dropped or replaced. The “Hugme” Coke machine and the 1-Altitude rooftop-bar record were old promotions we could not verify today, and the claim that Bukit Timah has more tree species than the United States and Canada combined did not stand up, so we replaced it with the documented plant count. New in this edition: the Rain Vortex, the Changi 2025 title, the 2024 expansion of Marina Bay Sands and the 2020 UNESCO hawker listing.
FAQ
Is Singapore a country or a city?
Both. It is a sovereign city-state with a population of about 6.1 million at mid-2025.
Why is Singapore called the Lion City?
The name comes from the Sanskrit for lion city, and a legend in the Malay Annals says Sang Nila Utama founded Singapura in 1299. There were no lions on the island.
Is Singapore the most expensive city in the world?
It has repeatedly ranked among the most expensive cities for expatriates, and tied with Zurich at the top in 2023 in a widely cited cost-of-living survey. Rankings change by year and by survey.
How tall is the Rain Vortex waterfall?
40 metres, at Jewel Changi Airport, and it is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.
Can you chew gum in Singapore?
Chewing gum sales have been banned since 1992. Since 2004, sugarless gum can be sold in pharmacies with a doctor or dentist prescription.
What is the best airport in the world?
Skytrax named Singapore Changi the World’s Best Airport in 2025, its 13th title.
How we put this list together
We checked each fact against public records, official announcements and reference sources, and removed items we could not verify. Figures are as of October 2026 and may change.
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Last updated: October 2026.
