Singapore

To arrive in Singapore is to step into a world where the call to prayer competes with the bustle of capitalism; where old men play mah-jongg in the streets and white-clad bowlers send the ball flying down well-tended cricket pitches; where Chinese fortune-tellers and high-priced management consultants advise the same entrepreneur. This great diversity of lifestyles, cultures, and religions thrives within the framework of a well-ordered society. Singapore is a spotlessly clean—some say sterile—modern metropolis surrounded by green, groomed parks and populated by 4 million orderly and well-regulated people, including many foreigners.

Although the Malays, Chinese, and Indians account for 98% of Singapore's population, other ethnic groups—from Eurasians to Filipinos and Thais—contribute significantly to the cultural mix. Understandably, the heritage of the British colonial stay is profoundly felt even though Singapore became fully independent in 1965.

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