| Republic of Singapore Republik Singapura (Malay) Timeline: The Dragon Splits
OTL equivalent: Singapore | |||||
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| Motto: "Malujah Singapura" (Malay) Onward, Singapore (English) |
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| Anthem: Malujah Singapura "Onward, Singapore" (English) |
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 Location in Singapore in Southeast Asia
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| Capital | Singapore (city-state) | ||||
| Official languages | English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil | ||||
| Ethnic groups | 74.1% Chinese 13.4% Malay 9.2% Indian 3.3% others |
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| Religion | 33.0% Buddhism 18.8% Christianity 18.4% No religion 14.0% Islam 11.0% Taoism and folk religion 5.0% Hinduism 0.7% Others |
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| Demonym | Singaporean | ||||
| Government | Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic | ||||
| - | President | Tony Tan | |||
| - | Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong | |||
| Establishment | Independence | ||||
| - | from the Federation of Malaysia | August 9, 1965 | |||
Singapore, officially known as the Republic of Singapore (Malay: Republik Singapura) is a city-state located in Southeast Asia, sharing maritime borders with Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite being one of the smallest countries in the world, Singapore is the one richest and most progressive nations.
History[]
In the 19th and 20th century, Singapore was a former British colony in Southeast Asia, part of Malaya. It was nicknamed "The Gibraltar of the East" because of its deep waters that made Singapore a strategic port and an "impregnable fortress." Following the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the British military increased Singapore's defenses expecting a Japanese invasion force to come from the sea. The invasion came from land via the Malaya Peninsula on February 8, 1942. The British forces surrendered on February 15, 1942. Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared the loss of Singapore the worst British military disaster in history. Resistance continued among surviving British forces with the local Malays, Chinese, Hindus, Tamils, and the Muslims. The Japanese would occupy the settlement up until its liberation by the British in 1945. Following the war, Singapore was a poor backwater nation. In 1963, the Federation of Malaya became independent from the United Kingdom. Singapore was expelled form the federation in 1965 and became independent on their own. By the 1970s and the 1980s, Singapore became wealthier than its neighbors due to the strict policies of Lee Kwan Yew, the first prime minister. It became one of the Asian Tigers of the period alongside Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.
Modern History[]
Singapore today is one of the richest nations in the world. It has a large population of ethnic Chinese living in the city. It has currently stayed neutral in regards to the South China Sea dispute and the ongoing Chinese Insurgency; rather is has shown concern more of its ship-borne trade that passes the South China Sea.
Economy[]
Singapore's economy is fueled by ship-borne trade, electronics, foreign investment, and tourism. The Port of Singapore is one of the busiest ports in the world as the country is located in a strategic location connecting Southeast Asia to the Indian Ocean. The headquarters of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is located in Singapore. The country has hosted the APEC summit in 1990 and 2009.
Foreign Relations[]
Singapore maintains many relations, both diplomatic and economic, on its Southeast Asian neighbors. It is one of the founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and has close ties with the United Kingdom. The country has close ties with China due to its significant ethnic Chinese population. Currently, Singapore is one of the countries that could enter China without a visa needed. It has cordial relations with the United States, being a regional security and a trade partner. The U.S. Navy's Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) often dock in Singapore.
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