History of Singapore

Singapore played a relatively minor role in the history of Southeast Asia until 1819, when the Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded a British port on the island. Under British colonial rule, it grew in importance as a center for both the India-China trade and the entrepot trade of the Southeast Asian region, eventually becoming one of the most important port cities in the world. During World War II, it was conquered and occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. After the war, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in its merger with the Federation of Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. However, disputes between Singapore's People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from the Federation, to become an independent republic on August 9, 1965. Since then, it has become one of the world's most prosperous nations, with a highly-developed free market economy, strong international trading links, and per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Related Topics:
Singapore - History - Southeast Asia - 1819 - Englishman - Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles - British - Port - Colonial - India - China - Trade - Entrepot - World War II - Japanese Empire - 1942 - 1945 - Self-government - Federation of Malaya - Federation of Malaysia - 1963 - People's Action Party - Alliance Party - Independent - Republic - August 9 - 1965 - Free market economy - Per capita - GDP - Western Europe

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