Pulau Sudong is a 209-

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and ...

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

off the southern coast of

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

. It was enlarged through a land reclamation process during the late 1970s.

Restricted area

Since the early 1980s, Pulau Sudong, together with Pulau Senang and

Pulau Pawai Pulau Pawai, also known as Alligator Island during the colonial times, is a island located within the Singapore Armed Forces Live Firing Area. It is located off the southwestern coast of Singapore, between Pulau Sudong to its north and Pulau Sa ...

, have formed the

Singapore Armed Forces The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MIND ...

southern islands

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

training area and live-firing zone. As with all other military installations in Singapore, the entire live-firing zone is strictly off limits to all civilians at all times of the day and night. The only exceptions to this are for workers who are contracted by

MINDEF The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF; ms, Kementerian Pertahanan; zh, 新加坡国防部; ta, தற்காப்பு அமைச்சு) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for overseeing the national defence of Sin ...

to perform maintenance on the island's area calibration facilities. The island's

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

and dock are maintained by SAF, with most areas covered by dense vegetation - the island is a wildlife haven for migratory birds and plants alike. The airstrip is only utilised for emergencies involving military aircraft.

Etymology and history

''Sudong'' is the same as ''tudong'' in Malay, a

cone A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines con ...

-shaped food cover made from matting; it is also used as head covers by padi planters. The

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

research station, originally on Pulau Belakang Mati, was on the island. In 2015, the former island inhabitants petitioned to be allowed back to the island for a day to fulfill their dying wish.

Panoramic image

References

Sources

*Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2004), ''Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names'', Eastern University Press,

External links

Satellite image of Pulau Sudong
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Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...

Sudong Sudong Sudong Sudong Western Islands Planning Area {{Singapore-geo-stub