The island is only 26 miles long and 14 miles wide. That means it's about a quarter the size of Long Island, New York. Singapore's area, however, does not remain constant, as landfills were often added when they needed more space for buildings. More than 5.5 million people live in the city. The official languages ​​are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil (the language of South India). At least 80% of Singaporeans speak and understand rudimentary English (CIA The World Factbook, 2014). Singapore is located just 87 miles north of the equator. It does not have a marked seasonal change. The average year-round temperature is 88 degrees Fahrenheit and the average annual rainfall is over 90 inches because the entire island is surrounded by the sea. Singapore smokes in the sun and the humidity is often very high (World Travel Guide, 2014). According to geologists, the island of Singapore was part of the Malay Peninsula. Singapore's ancient history has mixed with present-day Malaysia. From the seventh to the eleventh century, there is little documented history of the island. The first written