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Singapore (island)

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Singapore is a very important island. It is the main part of a country called the Republic of Singapore. This country is a city-state. The island sits at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It rests between the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. The Singapore Strait is to the south. The Johor Strait lies to the north.

The island has many different types of land. In the northwest, there are hills and valleys. These are made of sedimentary rock. The eastern part is much flatter. It is made of sandy land. The highest point is Bukit Timah Hill. This hill is made of igneous rock and granite.

Many names have been used for this place. An early name was Temasek. In Malay, the name Pulau Ujong means "Island at the End." This name came from travelers and merchants. They had to pass the island to reach the South China Sea. Some people called it Pedra Draku. This means "Rock of Dragons."

The island is actually growing larger. Since 1822, people have used land reclamation. This is a way to add new land to the coast. The British started this work when they controlled the island as a colony. The government has continued this work since Singapore became independent. The main island was much smaller in the 1960s. Now, it is much bigger.

Today, more than six million people live in Singapore. Most of them live on the main island. Other smaller islands are used for industry or the military. Some islands, like Sentosa and Ubin, are different. The island has several extreme points. Sembawang is the northernmost point. Tuas is the westernmost and southernmost point. Changi Bay is the easternmost point.

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