Singapore is a megacity that has overcome its almost impossible circumstances to become one of the most powerful economies today. From its origins as a Javanese outpost, the city that was to be Singapore grew into a trading port which eventually declined in the 14th century. The city became a British trading post in the 1800s upon the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles.

Today Singapore is a bustling city state that is known as much for its hi-tech modernity as well as for its cleanliness and orderliness, quite a feat for such as Small Island inhabited by around 4 million people. The city's desirable geographical vantage point is perhaps its best asset, one that the city has used to its full advantage to lure various investors from all over the world.

Singapore, despite its size is a city with one of the most diverse cultures in Asia. You can walk from the crowded streets of Chinatown straight to an Indian restaurant serving authentic Indian dishes. The city is a colorful and bold mix of cultures, food, traditions, art and people. It is easy to pass by people of Chinese descent walking side-by-side with Indian women in their colorful saris, while Western corporate executive types strut by while talking on their cell phones. For a glimpse of Singapore's colonial past all you have to do is head over to the renovated Raffles Hotel and bask in the first ever Western influence that helped create the cosmopolitan city that is Singapore today.