The Culture of Singapore

Singapore’s unique culture draws from the three communities that make up its population – the Chinese, the Malay and the Indians. Europeans influences have also left strong marks.

Singapore has several distinct ethnic neighborhoods, including Little India, Chinatown and Kampong Glam, formed by the Raffles Plan of Singapore in the early 19th century to segregate the new immigrants into specific areas. Although the population are no longer segregated in distribution, mainly due to the policies of the Housing Development Board and the ruling People's Action Party, these ethnic neighborhoods retain unique elements of their specific culture.

Although it is emerging as a cultural centre for arts and culture, including theatre and music but the development of the film industry in Singapore has a considerably late start and therefore lags significantly behind that of other countries. Singaporeans participate in a wide variety of sports and recreational activities. Favorite sports include soccer, swimming, badminton, basketball and table tennis. Most people lived in public residential areas that often provide amenities including swimming pools, outdoor basketball courts as well as indoor sport centres that can be used for badminton, table tennis, volleyball among others.