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Why Singapore also known as Lion city?

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Why Singapore also known as Lion city?

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Actually this has a historical meaning.

Back in the early days of our history, this land used to be a place where native Orang Laut (or "sea people") stay. They belong to the Malay community. This little island of ours was also ruled by the Malay aristocrats, which also ruled Indonesia.

According to historical records, this place used to be called Temasek. Today you can still find many places with the name "Temasek" in it.

One day a Malay prince from Palembang was sailing on the sea and suddenly a big storm threatened to capsize his boat. In a bid to save everyone on board he threw his crown into the sea and miraculously, the storm subsided. He then reached a little island known as Temasek and went onshore.

There he walked around and suddenly saw a beautiful creature run across. He had never seen this creature in his life and he asked his men what it was. His men said they heard that this creature is the majestic "Singa" or the Lion.

The prince was very delighted to hear that and decided to name this little island "Singapura" or the "City of the Lion". As history unfold, the Malay name "Singapura" was gradually changed to Singapore, perhaps by the British, I'm not sure. But the name Singapura still holds its important place in our identity, for example our national anthem says, "Majulah Singapura!".

To correct the answers above, no it has nothing to do with our Merlion. The Merlion is actually an icon which helped to put Singapore on the world map, just like how Taj Mahal is to India, and Mt Fuji is to Japan.

To answer your question, today there are no lions in the wild here in Singapore. And yes you can still find lions here though, in our Zoological Gardens. Actually I'm not even sure if lions are native animals in Singapore, and historians have also argued about the true identity of the creature that the prince saw, might be more possible if it were a tiger. But that's history already. Our name is here to stay! =)
Others

'Singa' means lion in malay
actually it's derived from two words "Singa" & " Pura"...which in sanskrit means land of the lion...
since singapore was supposed to have been saved by a mythological lion mermaid reffered to as Merlion..thus the name....Infact the Merlion is an imprtant emblem of singapore.
yes