This South-eastern Asian city-state has a surface area of 719.1 km2. It is made up of 63 islands, the main one being Pulau Ujong. Its lush vegetation, even in the heart of the city, has earned Singapore the nickname the “Garden City” and includes 350 species of trees. Singapore is the safest city in the world, probably due to its strict laws banning numerous activities including the sale of chewing gum, which has been punishable by a fine of S$1,000 since 1992. The emblem of Singapore is the Merlion, a hybrid creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Singapore was 19ºC. Its official languages are English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Malay is used for the national anthem.