Spice Routes & Roman Roads

Malta, (môl´te) officially Republic of Malta, republic (1995 est. pop. 370,000), 122 sq mi (316 sq km), in the Mediterranean Sea S of Sicily, comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo (Ghawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna). Valletta is the capital. The economy is supported by tourism, light industry, agriculture, and shipbuilding. The polyglot population is a mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, and English. Maltese (a Semitic language) and English are the official languages, but
Italian is widely spoken. Roman Catholicism is the state religion. Malta is governed by a unicameral parliament, a prime minister, and a cabinet.

Here in Muara, life revolves around the Sultan of Brunei’s palace, home of the wealthiest man in the world. See Kampong Ayer, an astonishingly modern water village built on stilts.

Singapore, officially Republic of Singapore, republic (1995 est. pop. 2,890,000), c.240 sq mi (620 sq km), SE Asia, S of the Malay Peninsula, comprising Singapore Island and about 60 islets. There is no administrative distinction between the country and Singapore city, where the government and port is located. Singapore Island is largely low-lying and has a tropical climate. It is almost entirely urbanized and densely populated; there is a remnant rain forest in the Bukit Timah reserve. Singapore is one of the world’s great commercial centers, and its citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in Asia. Its port, at Keppel Harbor, is one of the world’s largest and busiest. The economy is supported primarily by manufacturing, service industries, and trade; shipbuilding is also important. Agriculture plays a minor role, and the country imports most of its food. The population is mainly Chinese; Malays and Indians constitute large minorities. Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity are the major religions. Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English are the official languages.