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Singapore is a southeast Asian city-state  that has 63 islands.  Highly urbanized at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore is the world's fourth-leading financial center and has one of the world's businest ports.

With just over 5 million people in Singapore, its parliamentary government is based in English common law and considered one of the least corrupt, but with a price: It has no trial by jury and includes a form of caning as a punishment, which has resulted in bad publicity.  Rated top for order and security, it rates low for freedoms of speech and assembly.

Nevertheless, the multicultural Singapore -- two in five people are foreigners -- offers a blend of Asia and the West that is very appealing to many.  Its focus on food and dining is a national pastime with Chinese, Malay and Indian food styles being popular.  Since the 1990s, Singapore has been pushing its arts and culture as a gateway between East and West.   Also popular:  shopping and a vibrant nightlife.