Singapore

Lore & Background

In its early history, Singapore was a maritime emporium known as Temasek; subsequently, it was a major constituent of several successive thalassocratic empires. Its contemporary era began in 1819, when Stamford Raffles established Singapore as an entrepôt trading post of the British Empire. In 1867, Singapore came under direct British control as part of the Straits Settlements. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan in 1942 and returned to Britain as a Crown colony following Japan's surrender in 1945. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 and in 1963 became part of the new federation of Malaysia, alongside Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak. Ideological differences led to Singapore's expulsion from the federation two years later; it became an independent sovereign country in 1965. After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers.

In Their Own Story

The monsoon rain hammers against the glass façade of the Marina Bay Sands, blurring the neon glow of the city below. Inside the air-conditioned silence of a hawker center on the ground floor, the scent of chili crab and satay cuts through the humidity. An elderly man in a singlet chats with a young tech worker in a crisp suit; their languages differ, but the rhythm of the chopsticks is identical. Outside, the massive Supertrees hum with bioluminescent light, standing as futuristic sentinels over a harbor that has welcomed ships for centuries, bridging the gap between the steam-powered past and the digital future.

Reader's Guide

Singapore is a parliamentary republic and its legal system is based on common law. While it is constitutionally a multi-party democracy where free elections are regularly held, it functions as a de facto one-party state, with the People's Action Party (PAP) maintaining continuous political dominance since 1959. The PAP's longstanding control has resulted in limited political pluralism and a highly centralised governance structure over national institutions. One of the five founding members of ASEAN, Singapore is also the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council Secretariat and is the host city of many international conferences and events. Singapore is also a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the East Asia Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth of Nations.

Did You Know?

• The English name 'Singapore' is an anglicisation of the native Malay name, derived from the Sanskrit word for 'lion city'.
• Singapore has the highest PPP-adjusted GDP per capita in the world and is the only country in Asia with a AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies.
• Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil.
• Singapore is sometimes referred to by the nickname the 'Garden City', in reference to its parks and tree-lined streets.