History of Singapore in Timeline

Singapore is an island country and city-state located in Southeast Asia, just north of the equator. Its territory consists of one main island, 63 smaller islands, and one outlying islet. It is situated off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordered by the Strait of Malacca to the west, the Singapore Strait and Indonesian Riau Islands to the south, the South China Sea to the east, and the Straits of Johor and Malaysia to the north.

1914: Singapore unaffected by the First World War

Singapore was not greatly affected by the First World War that started in 1914, as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia.

1915: Singapore Mutiny

In 1915, the Singapore Mutiny occurred, involving Muslim sepoys from British India rebelling due to rumors of being sent to fight the Ottoman Empire.

1921: Announcement of the Singapore Naval Base

In 1921, the British announced plans to build the large Singapore Naval Base as part of their defensive strategy.

1931: Construction of the base proceeded at a slow pace

After the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the construction of the Singapore Naval Base proceeded at a slow pace.

1938: The base not fully completed

By 1938, the Singapore Naval Base was not fully completed but was the largest dry dock in the world.

1938: Introduction of Section 377A

From 1938, sexual relations between men were technically illegal under Section 377A of the Penal Code, first introduced during British colonial rule.

1939: World War II broke out

After World War II broke out in 1939, the British Home Fleet was occupied with defending Britain, leaving Singapore vulnerable to Japanese invasion.

February 1942: Battle of Singapore

In February 1942, the Japanese invasion of Malaya culminated in the Battle of Singapore, resulting in a British surrender.

1942: Singapore occupied by Japan

In 1942, during World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan.

August 1945: Singapore fell into a brief state of violence and disorder

In August 1945, after the Japanese surrender, Singapore experienced a brief period of violence and disorder.

September 1945: Formal surrender of Japanese forces

On 12 September 1945, British, Australian, and Indian troops returned to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of Japanese forces.

1945: British forces planned to liberate Singapore

In 1945, British forces had planned to liberate Singapore.

1945: Singapore returned to British control

In 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War II, Singapore returned to British control as a Crown colony.

February 1946: Tomoyuki Yamashita was hanged in the Philippines

Tomoyuki Yamashita was hanged in the Philippines on 23 February 1946, after being tried by a US military commission for war crimes.

April 1946: Singapore became a separate Crown Colony

On 1 April 1946, British Military Administration ended, and Singapore became a separate Crown Colony.

1946: British forces planned to liberate Singapore

In 1946, British forces had planned to liberate Singapore.

July 1947: Executive and Legislative Councils were established

In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established in Singapore.

1950: End of Chinese Civil War

The 2015 Ma–Xi meeting was the first meeting between the political leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1950.

1954: National Service riots

In 1954, the National Service riots in Singapore were linked to the Malayan Emergency and Chinese communist activities.

1955: David Marshall won Singapore's first general election

In 1955, David Marshall, the pro-independence leader of the Labour Front, won Singapore's first general election.

1956: Lim Yew Hock replaced David Marshall

In 1956, Lim Yew Hock replaced David Marshall as leader after Marshall's failed negotiations with Britain.

1957: Transfer of Islands to Australia

In 1957, Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands, previously part of Singapore under British rule, were transferred to Australia.

May 1959: PAP won a landslide victory

In the 30 May 1959 election, the PAP won a landslide victory.

June 1959: Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government

On 3 June 1959, Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs.

1959: Singapore gained self-governance

In 1959, Singapore gained self-governance.

1959: PAP's continuous political dominance since 1959

Since 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) has maintained continuous political dominance in Singapore.

1959: PAP Wins Parliamentary Majorities

Since self-governance was granted in 1959, the PAP has won large parliamentary majorities in every election.

1960: Tan Howe Liang wins Singapore's first Olympic medal

In 1960, Tan Howe Liang won a silver medal at the Rome Olympics, becoming Singapore's first Olympic medalist in weightlifting.

May 1961: Proposal for a new Federation called Malaysia

On 27 May 1961, Malaya's prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed a new Federation called Malaysia.

1961: Water Supply Agreement with Malaysia

Singapore established a long-term water supply agreement with Malaysia in 1961.

September 1963: Singapore joined with Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia

On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined with Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia.

1963: Singapore became part of Malaysia

In 1963, Singapore became part of the new federation of Malaysia, alongside Malaya, North Borneo, and Sarawak.

1963: Singapore's independence

When Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963, most Singaporean citizens were transient migrant labourers.

1964: 1964 race riots

In 1964, communal strife in Singapore led to the 1964 race riots.

March 1965: Bomb explosion at MacDonald House

On 10 March 1965, a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs exploded at MacDonald House, killing three people and injuring 33 others.

August 1965: Singapore became independent

In August 1965, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore.

August 1965: Singapore expelled from Malaysia

On 7 August 1965, the Parliament of Malaysia voted to expel Singapore from Malaysia.

1965: Start of Economic Transformation

From 1965, Singapore experienced an average growth rate of around 6% per annum, leading to significant improvements in living standards.

1965: Singapore became an independent sovereign country

In 1965, Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became an independent sovereign country.

1967: Co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

In 1967, Singapore co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

1967: Introduction of Garden City Vision

In 1967, the government introduced the vision of making Singapore a "garden city" to improve quality of life and combat the decline in natural space.

1967: Interchangeable currency with Brunei

Since 1967, the Singapore dollar (SGD) has been interchangeable with the Brunei dollar at par value.

1968: PAP Receives 86.7% of the Popular Vote

In the 1968 general election, the PAP received 86.7% of the popular vote.

1969: Race riots

In 1969, race riots broke out once more in Singapore.

1970: Trial by Jury Abolished

In 1970, trial by jury was abolished in Singapore.

October 1971: British Military Withdrawal

In October 1971, Britain pulled its military out of Singapore.

1975: Implementation of Singapore Area Licensing Scheme

In 1975, the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme was implemented, becoming the world's first congestion pricing scheme.

1979: Establishment of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO)

In 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) was instituted, marking a significant development for Western classical music in Singapore's cultural landscape.

1981: Singapore Changi Airport was opened

Singapore Changi Airport was opened in 1981.

1984: Introduction of non-constituency members of parliament

In 1984, non-constituency members of parliament were introduced to allow losing opposition candidates to be appointed as MPs.

1988: Introduction of Group representation constituencies

In 1988, Group representation constituencies (GRCs) were introduced to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament.

1989: Women Allowed in Military Vocations

Since 1989, women in the SAF have been allowed to fill military vocations formerly reserved for men.

1990: Goh Chok Tong becomes Prime Minister

In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee Kuan Yew and became Singapore's second prime minister.

1990: Introduction of Nominated members of parliament

In 1990, Nominated members of parliament were introduced to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs.

1991: Constitution amended to provide for an elected president

In 1991, the constitution was amended to provide for an elected president with veto power in the use of past reserves and appointments to certain public offices.

1995: Continued Economic Growth

By 1995, Singapore's economy had experienced sustained growth since 1965, transforming the living standards of the population.

1996: Launch of the Singapore Premier League

In 1996, Singapore's football league, the Singapore Premier League, was launched as the S.League, comprising eight clubs.

1997: Asian Financial Crisis

During Goh Chok Tong's tenure, Singapore went through the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

August 1998: Singapore as a red dot

After an article in the Asian Wall Street Journal of August 1998, Indonesian President B. J. Habibie referred to Singapore as a red dot on a map, leading to Singapore being referred to as the "Little Red Dot".

1998: Upgrade to Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)

In 1998, the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme was upgraded and renamed Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), introducing electronic toll collection and surveillance technology.

1999: Real GDP growth averaging at about 8%

Up until 1999, Singapore's real GDP growth averaging at about 8%.

2000: Publication of Rhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry

In 2000, multilingual anthologies such as Rhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry were published, showcasing translated works, with poems translated three times each.

2001: PAP Receives 75.3% of the Popular Vote

In the 2001 general election, the PAP received 75.3% of the popular vote.

2001: Government programs to increase fertility rate

Starting in 2001, the Singapore government introduced a series of programmes to increase fertility, including paid maternity leave, childcare subsidies, tax relief and rebates, one-time cash gifts, and grants for companies that implement flexible work arrangements.

2003: SARS Outbreak

During Goh Chok Tong's tenure, Singapore went through the 2003 SARS outbreak.

2004: Amnesty International Claims

In 2004, Amnesty International claimed that some legal provisions of the Singapore system for the death penalty conflict with "the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty".

2004: Lee Hsien Loong becomes Prime Minister & Tanjong Pagar Railway Dispute

In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong became Singapore's third prime minister. His tenure included the resolution of a dispute over land ownership at Tanjong Pagar railway station between Singapore and Malaysia and the introduction of the two integrated resorts (IRs).

2004: Aid to Aceh after Tsunami

In 2004, Singapore provided aid to Aceh in Indonesia following the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

2006: Changi Airport Rated World's Best

In 2006, Changi Airport was rated as the world's best airport for the first time by Skytrax.

2006: International Students in Singapore

In 2006, Singapore had more than 80,000 international students.

2008: Government funding of healthcare

In 2008, 32% of healthcare was funded by the government.

2008: Inaugural Singapore Grand Prix

In 2008, Singapore hosted the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, marking the first F1 night race and the first F1 street race in Asia.

2008: Singapore's women's table tennis team win silver at the Beijing Olympics

In 2008, Singapore's women's table tennis team won silver at the Beijing Olympics, marking a significant achievement in the sport.

2008: Financial Crisis

Lee Hsien Loong's tenure as Prime Minister included the 2008 financial crisis.

October 2009: Founding of the ASEAN Basketball League

In October 2009, the ASEAN Basketball League was founded, with the Singapore Slingers as one of the inaugural teams.

2009: International Students in Singaporean Universities

In 2009, 20% of all students in Singaporean universities were international students.

2009: Pink Dot SG Event

In 2009, Pink Dot SG, an event supporting the LGBT community, began and has since attracted thousands of people annually with increasing attendance.

2009: Removal from OECD Tax Haven List

In 2009, Singapore was removed from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) "liste grise" of tax havens.

2009: Deployment to Gulf of Aden

Since 2009, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has deployed ships to the Gulf of Aden to aid in countering piracy efforts as part of Task Force 151.

2010: Singapore hosts the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics

In 2010, Singapore hosted the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, featuring 3,600 athletes from 204 nations competing in 26 sports.

2010: Sand Import for Land Reclamation

In 2010, Singapore imported almost 15 million tons of sand for its land reclamation projects, leading to restrictions on sand exports from neighboring countries.

2010: Water Demand Statistics

In 2010, Singapore's water demand was 1.4 billion litres per day, with non-domestic use accounting for 55% of demand.

2010: Singapore's women's table tennis team became world champions

In 2010, Singapore's women's table tennis team became world champions by defeating China at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Russia, ending China's 19-year winning streak.

2010: Main exports in Singapore

In 2010, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, and computers constituted 27% of Singapore's GDP.

2010: Singapore's Fertility Rate

Since 2010, Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) has largely plateaued at 1.1 children per woman.

2010: Racial Composition of Singapore

The text mentions that the racial composition in the 2020 census was virtually identical to the 2010 census.

2010: Religious affiliation

The text mentions the proportion of Christians, Muslims, and the nonreligious slightly increased between 2010 and 2020, while the proportion of Buddhists and Taoists slightly decreased.

2010: Participation in G20 Processes

While Singapore is not a formal member of the G20, it has been invited to participate in G20 processes in most years since 2010.

December 2011: Diagnosed with HIV

As of December 2011, 8,800 foreigners were diagnosed with HIV.

2011: Ranking of Singaporean Banks

In 2011, after the 2008 financial crisis, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) and United Overseas Bank (UOB) were ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek as the world's 1st, 5th, and 6th strongest banks in the world, respectively.

2011: PAP Suffers Electoral Setback

In 2011, the PAP suffered its worst ever electoral results, winning just 60% of votes, amidst debate over issues including the influx of foreign workers and the high cost of living.

January 2013: HIV diagnosis

As of January 2013, 5,400 Singaporeans were diagnosed with HIV.

December 2013: Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore

As of December 2013, there were about 224,500 foreign domestic workers in Singapore.

2013: Increase of acceptance towards LGBT rights

According to a survey from the Institute of Policy Studies conducted in 2013, there was a 10% acceptance rate towards sexual relations between adults of the same sex.

2013: Changi Airport also was rated as the world's best airport

From 2013, Changi Airport had been rated as the world's best airport

2013: China Becomes Largest Trading Partner

Since 2013, China has been Singapore's largest trading partner, surpassing Malaysia.

2014: Religious Diversity in Singapore

A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.

2014: Smartphone penetration rates in Singapore

In 2014, surveys by Deloitte and the Google Consumer Barometer showed Singapore having the world's highest smartphone penetration rates, at 89% and 85% of the population respectively.

March 2015: Death of Lee Kuan Yew

On 23 March 2015, Lee Kuan Yew died, and a one-week period of public mourning was observed nationwide.

2015: Internet service speeds in Singapore

As of Spring 2015, internet service providers in Singapore offered residential service plans with speeds up to 2 Gbit/s.

2015: Increase in Land Area

By 2015, Singapore's land area had increased to 710 km² from 580 km² in the 1960s due to land reclamation projects.

2015: Singapore Airlines ranking

In 2015, Singapore Airlines was ranked as Asia's most-admired company, and the world's 19th most-admired company by Fortune.

2015: Ranking on Financial Secrecy Index

In 2015, Singapore ranked fourth on the Tax Justice Network's Financial Secrecy Index, highlighting its role in offshore financial services.

2015: Education Benchmark

In 2015, both its primary and secondary students rank first in OECD's global school performance rankings across 76 countries

2015: Secret negotiations by PAP leaders revealed

Secret negotiations by PAP leaders which led to Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia were revealed in 2015.

2015: Ma-Xi Meeting

Singapore hosted the 2015 Ma–Xi meeting, the first meeting between the political leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1950.

August 2016: Indonesia to create tax havens near Singapore

In August 2016, The Straits Times reported that Indonesia had decided to create tax havens on two islands near Singapore.

October 2016: MAS action against banks

In October 2016, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) admonished and fined UBS and DBS and withdrew Falcon Private Bank's banking licence for their alleged role in the Malaysian Sovereign Fund scandal.

2016: Joseph Schooling wins Singapore's first Olympic gold medal

In 2016, Joseph Schooling won Singapore's first Olympic gold medal at the Rio Olympics, claiming the 100-metre butterfly title in a new Olympic record time of 50.39 seconds.

2016: Education Ranking

In 2016, Singapore students topped both the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In the 2016 EF English Proficiency Index taken in 72 countries, Singapore placed 6th.

2016: Shift to Polders for Land Reclamation

In 2016, Singapore switched to using polders for land reclamation due to restrictions on sand imports.

2016: World's Most Expensive City

In 2016, Singapore was rated the world's most expensive city for the third consecutive year by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

2016: Art and culture events at the Esplanade

In 2016, the Esplanade in Singapore hosted 5,900 free art and culture events, making it a significant year for performing arts at Singapore's largest performing arts centre.

2016: Employment in Singapore Tourism Sector

In 2016, the tourism sector generated approximately 8.6% of Singapore's employment.

2016: Internet users in Singapore

In 2016, there were an estimated 4.7 million internet users in Singapore, representing 82.5% of the population.

August 2017: Unveiling of unified brand

In August 2017, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) unveiled a unified brand, Singapore – Passion Made Possible, to market Singapore internationally for tourism and business.

2017: Reserved Presidential Election

From 2017, the Constitution requires presidential elections to be "reserved" for a racial community if no one from that ethnic group has been elected to the presidency in the five most recent terms. In the 2017 presidential election, Halimah Yacob won in an uncontested election and became Singapore's first female president.

2017: Singapore wins gold in water polo at SEA Games

In 2017, Singapore's men's water polo team won the SEA Games gold medal for the 27th time, continuing the country's longest winning streak in sports.

2017: Start of Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment operation

In 2017, operation started for the Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment, which was specially built to test advanced used-water treatment processes.

June 2018: Singapore Hosts US-North Korea Summit

In June 2018, Singapore hosted a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

2018: Number of hawker centres in Singapore

In 2018, Singapore had 114 hawker centres maintained by the National Environment Agency, spread across the city and housing estates, each graded for hygiene.

2018: Singapore still most expensive city

In 2018, Singapore remained the world's most expensive city, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

2018: Ulu Pandan Award

In 2018, the Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment won the Water/Wastewater Project of the Year Award at the Global Water Awards in Paris, France.

2018: Joint Maritime Exercise with China

Singapore participated in ASEAN's first joint maritime exercise with China in 2018.

2019: Life Expectancy

In 2019, Singaporeans had the longest life expectancy of any country at 84.8 years.

2019: Institute of Policy Studies Survey on LGBT Rights

In 2019, a survey by the Institute of Policy Studies indicated that Singaporean society has become more liberal on LGBT rights, with increased acceptance of same-sex relations and marriage compared to 2013.

2019: Port of Singapore's Status

In 2019, the Port of Singapore was the world's second-busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage handled at 2.85 billion gross tons (GT) and containerised traffic at 37.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). It was also the world's second-busiest in terms of cargo tonnage with 626 million tons handled, and the world's busiest for transshipment traffic and ship refuelling.

2019: Amendments to the Women's Charter

In 2019, the government amended the Women's Charter to impose stricter penalties for traffickers, including imprisonment and fines, in response to the trafficking of women for prostitution.

2019: Semiconductor Companies in Singapore

In 2019, there were more than 60 semiconductor companies in Singapore, constituting 11% of the global market share and contributing around 7% of Singapore's GDP.

2020: Language Spoken at Home

According to the 2020 census, English was the language most spoken at home in Singapore, used by 48.3% of the population, followed by Mandarin at 29.9%.

2020: Changi Airport best airport ended in 2020

Changi Airport had been rated as the world's best airport from 2013 to 2020.

2020: Delay of Satellite-Based System Implementation

In 2020, the implementation of a satellite-based system to replace physical ERP gantries was due but delayed due to global semiconductor shortages.

2020: Coastline and Flood Protection Fund

In its 2020 budget, the Singaporean government set aside an initial $5 billion towards a Coastline and Flood Protection Fund to address climate change and rising sea levels.

2020: Religious Adherence in Singapore

In the 2020 census, Buddhism was the most widely practised religion in Singapore at 31%, followed by Christianity at 18.9% and Islam at 15.6%.

2020: Singapore's Racial Composition

The 2020 census reported that about 74.3% of residents were of Chinese descent, 13.5% of Malay descent, 9.0% of Indian descent, and 3.2% of other descent.

2020: 2020 Election

The 2020 election held in July saw the PAP drop to 61% of the vote, while the WP took 10 of the 93 seats.

2021: Loh Kean Yew becomes a World Champion

In 2021, Singapore's Loh Kean Yew achieved "World Champion" status by winning a badminton gold at the 2021 BWF World Championships men's singles.

2021: Protest for Improved Trans Protections

In 2021, six Singaporeans protested for improved trans protections in the educational system outside the Ministry of Education headquarters at Buona Vista.

2021: World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index Ranking

In 2021, the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore as 17th overall among the world's 193 countries.

2022: Announcement of 377A Repeal

In 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Singapore would repeal 377A, effectively decriminalising homosexual behaviour.

2022: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2022, Singapore was ranked 7th in the Global Innovation Index.

2022: Fertility Rate and Median Age

In 2022, Singapore's median age was 42.8 and the live births hit a record low.

January 2023: Repeal of Section 377A

On 3 January 2023, Section 377A of the Penal Code was officially repealed, effectively decriminalizing homosexual behavior.

2023: Singapore's Population

As of mid-2023, the estimated population of Singapore was 5,917,600, with 3,610,700 citizens and 2,306,900 permanent residents or foreign workers/students. The overall population increased 5% from the prior year.

2023: Busiest International Air Routes

In 2023, Changi Airport had three of the ten busiest international air routes in the world.

2023: Singapore Airlines Award

In 2023, Singapore Airlines held the title of the World's Best Airline by Skytrax.

2023: Tourism in Singapore

In 2023, Singapore attracted 13.6 million international tourists, more than double its total population.

2023: Singapore's ranking on the Press Freedom Index

In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129 on the Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, an improvement from 139 the previous year.

2023: Singapore Press Freedom Index Ranking

In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129th out of 180 nations by Reporters Without Borders on the global Press Freedom Index.

2023: Singapore's Economic Competitiveness

In 2023, Singapore was ranked as the world's 4th most competitive economy by the International Institute for Management Development.

May 2024: Lawrence Wong becomes Prime Minister

On 15 May 2024, Lawrence Wong became Singapore's fourth Prime Minister.

2024: Global Peace Index Ranking

According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Singapore is the 5th most peaceful country in the world.

2024: Singapore Classified as "Alpha+" City

As of 2024, Singapore was classified as an "Alpha+" city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, being one of eight cities worldwide with this classification.

2024: Changi Airport no longer world's best airport

In 2024, Changi Airport lost the title of world's best airport

2024: Max Maeder wins Singapore's first Olympic medal in sailing

In 2024, at the Paris Olympics, Max Maeder won Singapore's first Olympic medal in sailing, achieving bronze in the Men's Formula Kite on National Day.

2024: Military Spending

In 2024, the government spent 2.7% of Singapore's GDP on the military.

2024: US$2,494,456 in damages to MacDonald House

The explosion caused US$250,000 (equivalent to US$2,494,456 in 2024) in damages to MacDonald House.

2025: 2025 Election

In the 2025 election, Lawrence Wong's first electoral test as Prime Minister, the PAP won 65.5% of the vote and 87 out of 97 seats in Parliament; the WP retained their 10 seats.