Rock tombs from Dalyan in Mugla
Singapore is a small-but-prosperous island nation, both a city and a country, located just off the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia.
Singapore is an anomaly, and they're quite proud of it. The country is currently the only island-city-country in the world. Although Hong Kong is also a city-island, it is considered a Special Administrative Region that is part of China.
Actually, Singapore's territory consists of over 60 islands and islets. Discerning the difference gets a little fuzzy. An ongoing land reclamation effort creates desperately needed real estate each year. Many new artificial islands get created, really stressing out the geologists in charge of keeping count.
Singapore is a highly developed country in Southeast Asia with one of the world's strongest economies. Singapore is slightly smaller than the city of Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States. But unlike Lexington, 5.6 million residents are squeezed into the tiny country's 277 square miles of land mass.
Despite its size, Singapore boasts one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world. But along with prosperity — and a noticeable wealth divide — the nation receives high-ranking marks for education, technology, health care, and quality of life. Taxes are high and crime is low. Singapore ranks third in the world for life expectancy, meanwhile, the United States comes in at #31 (per the World Health Organization).
Although Singapore's epic population density and reputation for cleanliness conjure images of some futuristic metropolis made only of concrete and steel, think again. The National Parks Board is achieving their lofty goal of turning Singapore into a "city in a garden" — tropical greenery abounds!
This island is voted MOST BEAUTIFUL in the world!! 😍🗾🏝️