It is a place that cherishes its past as it looks to the future."

The earliest known mention of Singapore was a 3rd century Chinese account which described Singapore as "Pu-luo-chung" ("island at the end of a peninsula"). Little is known about the island's history at this time but this matter-of-fact description belies Singapore's colourful past. By the 14th century, Singapore had become part of the mighty Sri Vijayan empire and was known as Temasek ("Sea Town").This was no less accurate than the 3rd century name. Located at the natural meeting point of sea routes at the tip of the Malay Peninsula , Singapore had long known visits from a wide variety of sea craft, from Chinese junks, Indian vessels, Arab dhows and Portuguese battleships to Buginese schooners.

While Arab and Malay sailors knew of Mauritius as early as the 10th century AD and Portuguese sailors first visited in the 16th century, the island was not colonized until 1638 by the Dutch. Mauritius was populated over the next few centuries by waves of traders, planters and their slaves, indentured laborers, merchants, and artisans. The island was named in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau by the Dutch, who abandoned the colony in 1710.

The French claimed Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Ile de France. It became a prosperous colony under the French East India Company. The French Government took control in 1767, and the island served as a naval and privateer base during the Napoleonic wars. In 1810, Mauritius was captured by the British, whose possession of the island was confirmed 4 years later by the Treaty of Paris. French institutions, including the Napoleonic code of law, were maintained. The French language is still used more widely than English.

Mauritian Creoles trace their origins to the plantation owners and slaves who were brought to work the sugar fields. Indo-Mauritians are descended from Indian immigrants who arrived in the 19th century to work as indentured laborers after slavery was abolished in 1835. Included in the Indo-Mauritian community are Muslims (about 15% of the population) from the Indian subcontinent.

Historians often speak of Malaysia's ancient past as something "shrouded in mystery," a kind of black hole in Asian history. The truth is that there is not much archeological evidence or written records from ancient Malaysia; but it is likely that this situation will change. Many suspect that there are more prehistoric archeological sites along the coasts and in the jungles and hills, but given Malaysia's riotous vegetation it will take time to find them. We do know that homo sapiens have been in Malaysia for a long time. The oldest known evidence of human habitation is a skull from the Niah Caves in Sarawak from dating 35,000 years before Christ. On the peninsula, stone age tools and implements from about 10,000 BC have been found, and some archeologists suggest that they were left there by the predecessors of the Negrito aborigines - one of the earliest groups to inhabit the peninsula.

We also know that about 2,500 years before Christ a much more technologically advanced group migrated to the peninsula from China. Called the Proto-Malays, they were seafarers and farmers, and their advances into the peninsula forced the Negritos into the hills and jungles. History's periodic waves of cultural evolution, however, soon created another group, the Deutero-Malays. They were a combination of many peoples - Indians, Chinese, Siamese, Arabs, and Proto-Malays - and they had risen by mastering the use of iron. Combined with the peoples of Indonesia, the Deutero-Malays formed the racial basis for the group which today we simply call the Malay.

Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean and located south of the Indian subcontinent, is also known as the Island of Serendipity.

Hong Kong is simply dazzling. Experience the distinctive blend of East and West in this dynamic city. Feel the rush as you indulge in shopping. Savour culinary delicacies. Open your senses to Hong Kong's amazing skyline, bustling harbour and peaceful countryside. Come discover the diversity and sophistication that is Hong Kong. You'll love it! The cathedral is the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong, and is believed to be the oldest Anglican church in the Far East. Built in a style adapted from both the 13th-century Early English and Decorated Gothic styles, construction was completed in 1849 under Bishop George Smith, first Bishop of Victoria. Due to a shortage of funds, the tower was finished a year later. An eastern extension was added in 1873, the foundation stone laid by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. During the Japanese occupation, the cathedral suffered heavy damage; most of the present interior design and furnishings are post-war. It was also during this period that the church was used as a social club for the Japanese community. Open 7am-6pm daily

France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South. Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Switzerland – situated at the heart of the Alps – has signed the Alpine Convention on protecting the region's delicate ecosystem. But, unlike most other signatories, it has yet to ratify the framework protocols. Here you can find a lot of information about Switzerland, a small but well known country in the heart of Europe. While the author takes every effort to keep this information accurate and up to date, there is no guarantee for correctness. All information is subject to change without notice. For comments, suggestions and questions, use our