History of Singapore in Timeline

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

1914: Singapore not greatly affected by the First World War

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

1915: Singapore Mutiny

In 1915, Singapore experienced the Singapore Mutiny by Muslim sepoys from British India, who rebelled due to rumors of being sent to fight the Ottoman Empire. The mutiny was suppressed by non-Muslim troops.

1921: Announcement of the Singapore Naval Base

In 1921, the British announced the Singapore Naval Base as part of the defensive Singapore strategy.

1931: Construction of Naval Base speeded up

In 1931, the construction of the Singapore Naval Base proceeded at a faster pace due to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

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.

1938: Singapore Naval Base not fully completed

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

1939: World War II broke out in 1939

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

February 1942: Battle of Singapore; British surrender

In February 1942, during the Pacific War, the Japanese invasion of Malaya culminated in the Battle of Singapore, leading to the surrender of 60,000 British troops.

1942: Singapore occupied by Japan

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

August 1945: Japanese surrender; violence and disorder

In August 1945, after the Japanese surrender, Singapore experienced a brief state of violence and disorder with widespread looting and revenge-killing.

September 1945: Formal surrender of Japanese forces

In September 1945, British, Australian, and Indian troops led by Lord Louis Mountbatten returned to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of Japanese forces.

1945: British forces planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946

British forces had planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946; however, the war ended before these operations could be carried out.

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 hanged

In February 1946, Tomoyuki Yamashita was hanged in the Philippines after being convicted of war crimes by a US military commission.

April 1946: British Military Administration ended

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

1946: British forces planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946

British forces had planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946; however, the war ended before these operations could be carried out.

July 1947: Executive and Legislative Councils established

In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established, and elections were scheduled for the following year.

1950: End of Chinese Civil War

In 2015, Singapore hosted the 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.

1954: National Service riots

In 1954, the National Service riots in Singapore were linked to the guerrilla war waged by Chinese communists.

1955: David Marshall won Singapore's first general election

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

1956: Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government

In 1956, after negotiations, Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs.

1957: Christmas Island and Cocos Islands Transferred to Australia

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

May 1959: People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory

In May 1959, days before Singapore was granted full internal self-government, the People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory in the election.

June 1959: Singapore granted full internal self-government

On June 3, 1959, Britain granted Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs. Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode served as the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State).

1959: Singapore gained self-governance

In 1959, Singapore gained self-governance.

1959: PAP maintaining continuous political dominance since 1959

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

1959: Self-Governance Granted

Since self-governance was granted in 1959, the People's Action Party 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 Olympic Games, becoming Singapore's first Olympic medalist in weightlifting.

May 1961: Proposal for a new Federation called Malaysia

On May 27, 1961, Malaya's prime minister proposed a new Federation called Malaysia, uniting British possessions in the region. The PAP held a referendum on the merger.

1961: Long-Term Water Supply Agreement with Malaysia

Singapore established a long-term water supply agreement with Malaysia in 1961, which is set to expire in 2061.

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

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

1963: Independence from United Kingdom

In 1963, Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom.

1963: Singapore became part of the new federation of Malaysia

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

1964: 1964 race riots

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

March 1965: Bombing of MacDonald House

On March 10, 1965, a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs exploded at MacDonald House, killing three and injuring 33 others. Two members of the Indonesian Marine Corps were convicted and executed for the crime.

August 1965: Singapore became independent

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

August 1965: Singapore expelled from Malaysia

On August 9, 1965, the Malaysian Parliament voted to expel Singapore from Malaysia, making Singapore a newly independent country.

1965: Singapore became an independent sovereign country

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

1965: Singapore's Economic Growth

In 1965, Singapore's economy began a period of significant growth, averaging around 6 percent per annum between 1965 and 1995.

1967: Co-founded ASEAN

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

1967: Launch of the "Garden City" Vision

In 1967, the Singaporean government introduced the vision of transforming Singapore into a "garden city" to improve the quality of life and combat the decline in natural spaces.

1967: Singapore Dollar Interchangeable with Brunei Dollar

Since 1967, the Singapore dollar (SGD) has been interchangeable with the Brunei dollar at par value, as issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

1968: PAP Vote Share in General Election

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

1969: Race riots broke out once more

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

1970: Abolishment of Trial by Jury

In 1970, trial by jury was abolished in Singapore's judicial system.

October 1971: British Military Pullout

In October 1971, Britain pulled its military out of Singapore, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence.

1975: Implementation of the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme

In 1975, Singapore implemented the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, the world's first congestion pricing scheme, to manage traffic.

1979: Institution of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

In 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) was established, marking a significant milestone in the development of Western classical music in Singapore.

1981: Singapore Changi Airport opened

In 1981, Singapore Changi Airport was opened.

1984: Introduction of non-constituency members of parliament

In 1984, Singapore introduced the non-constituency members of parliament to allow up to three losing candidates from opposition parties 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: Nominated members of parliament were introduced

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

1991: Constitution was amended

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

1995: Economic Growth until 1995

Singapore's economy experienced average growth rates of approximately 6 percent annually between 1965 and 1995, significantly improving the population's living standards.

1996: Launch of the Singapore Premier League

In 1996, the Singapore Premier League, then known as the S.League, was launched as Singapore's football league.

1997: Asian Financial Crisis

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

August 1998: Singapore referred to as a red dot on a map

In August 1998, after an article in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Singapore began being referred to as the "Little Red Dot" following Indonesian President B. J. Habibie's comment that Singapore was a red dot on a map.

1998: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) System Upgraded

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

1999: Real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999

Up until 1999, Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8%.

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

In 2000, the multilingual anthology 'Rhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry' was published, featuring poems translated three times each, showcasing Singaporean literature.

2001: PAP Vote Share in General Election

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

2001: Government Initiatives to Increase Fertility

Starting in 2001, the government introduced a series of programs 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 experienced the 2003 SARS outbreak.

2004: Aid to Aceh After Tsunami

Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the SAF provided aid to Aceh in Indonesia.

2004: Amnesty International Claim on Death Penalty

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

In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong became Singapore's third prime minister.

2006: Changi Airport Rated World's Best Airport

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

2006: International Students in Singapore

Singapore is also an education hub, with more than 80,000 international students in 2006.

2008: 2008 Financial Crisis

After the 2008 financial crisis, OCBC, DBS and UOB were ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek as the world's 1st, 5th, and 6th strongest banks in 2011.

2008: Government Funding of Healthcare

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

2008: Singapore hosts the inaugural Formula One night race

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

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

In 2008, Singapore's women's table tennis team won silver at the Beijing Olympics.

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—the maximum cap allowed, a majority from ASEAN, China and India.

2009: Singapore Removed 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: Inauguration of Pink Dot SG

Since 2009, Pink Dot SG, an event held in support of the LGBT community, has drawn thousands of people annually.

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: Religion in Singapore

Between 2010 and 2020, the proportion of Christians, Muslims, and the nonreligious slightly increased, while the proportion of Buddhists and Taoists slightly decreased; Hinduism and other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population.

2010: Singapore's Sand Imports in 2010

In 2010 Singapore imported almost 15 million tons of sand for its land reclamation projects.

2010: Singapore hosts the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics

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

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

In 2010, Singapore's women's table tennis team won the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Russia, defeating China and ending their 19-year winning streak.

2010: Contribution of Main Exports to GDP

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

2010: Water Demand in 2010

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

2010: Singapore Census

In the 2010 census, the proportion of citizens to non-citizens was largely unchanged compared to mid-2023.

2010: Participation in G20 Processes

Since 2010, Singapore has been invited to participate in G20 processes in most years, despite not being a formal member.

2010: Singapore's Total Fertility Rate

Since 2010, Singapore's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has largely plateaued at 1.1 children per woman.

December 2011: HIV Diagnoses in Singapore

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

2011: World's Strongest Banks Ranking

In 2011, after the 2008 financial crisis, OCBC, DBS and UOB were ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek as the world's 1st, 5th, and 6th strongest banks, respectively.

2011: PAP Electoral Results

In 2011, the PAP suffered its worst ever electoral results, winning just 60% of votes.

January 2013: HIV Diagnoses in Singapore

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: Changi Airport Rated World's Best Airport

From 2013 to 2020, Changi Airport had been rated as the world's best airport before being superseded by Hamad International Airport in Doha.

2013: China Becomes Largest Trading Partner

In 2013, China became Singapore's largest trading partner, surpassing Malaysia.

2013: Institute of Policy Studies Survey

In 2013, Institute of Policy Studies Survey reported that only 10% of Singaporean society said that sexual relations between adults of the same sex were not wrong at all or not wrong most of the time

2014: Religious Diversity in Singapore

A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation, with no single religion claiming a majority.

2014: Smartphone penetration rates in Singapore

In 2014, Singapore had the world's highest smartphone penetration rates, with surveys by Deloitte and the Google Consumer Barometer reporting 89% and 85% of the population respectively owning smartphones.

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: Residential internet service plans speed

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

2015: Singapore Land Area Increase by 2015

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

2015: Singapore Listed as Top Destination

In 2015, Lonely Planet listed Singapore as their top world destination to visit, and The New York Times listed it as the 6th-best.

2015: Singapore Airlines Recognition

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

2015: Ma-Xi Meeting

In 2015, Singapore hosted the 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.

2015: Singapore Ranked on Financial Secrecy Index

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

2015: Singapore Students Rank First in OECD's Global School Performance Rankings

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

2015: Secret negotiations revealed in 2015

In 2015, it was revealed that secret negotiations by PAP leaders helped in the expulsion of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965.

August 2016: Indonesia Plans Tax Havens Near Singapore

In August 2016, The Straits Times reported that Indonesia planned to establish tax havens on islands near Singapore to repatriate Indonesian capital.

October 2016: Monetary Authority of Singapore Admonishes Banks

In October 2016, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) took action against UBS and DBS, and revoked Falcon Private Bank's banking license due to their involvement 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 in the 100-metre butterfly with a time of 50.39 seconds, setting a new Olympic record.

2016: Singapore Switches to Polders for Land Reclamation

In 2016, Singapore began using polders for land reclamation after facing restrictions on sand exports from neighboring countries.

2016: Singapore Students Top Global Education Benchmarks

In 2016, Singapore students topped both the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

2016: Singapore Rated 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: Free art and culture events at the Esplanade

In 2016, The Esplanade was the site of 5,900 free art and culture events, marking a significant contribution to Singapore's cultural scene.

2016: Internet users in Singapore

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

2016: Tourism and Employment

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

August 2017: Singapore Tourism Board Unveils 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.

2017: Reserved Presidential Election

In 2017, Singapore held a reserved presidential election where Halimah Yacob, considered part of the Malay community, won in an uncontested election and became Singapore's first female president.

2017: Singapore wins SEA Games gold medal in water polo

In 2017, Singapore's men's water polo team won their 27th SEA Games gold medal, marking the country's longest winning streak in the sport.

2017: Operation Started for Ulu Pandan Wastewater Treatment

In 2017, operation started for the Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment, jointly developed by PUB and the Black & Veatch + AECOM Joint Venture.

June 2018: Trump-Kim Summit

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

2018: Joint Maritime Exercise with China

In 2018, Singapore participated in ASEAN's first joint maritime exercise with China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism.

2018: Singapore Remained World's Most Expensive City

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

2018: Ulu Pandan Wastewater Treatment Wins Award

In 2018, the Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment, which tests advanced used-water treatment processes, won the Water/Wastewater Project of the Year Award at the Global Water Awards.

2018: Number of hawker centers across Singapore

In 2018, there were 114 hawker centres spread across Singapore, maintained by the National Environment Agency.

2019: Institute of Policy Studies Survey

According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies in 2019, Singaporean society has become more liberal on LGBT rights.

2019: Life Expectancy in Singapore

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

2019: Port of Singapore Ranked Second Busiest Globally

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 in terms of containerized traffic, at 37.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

2019: Amendments to Women's Charter

In 2019, the Singaporean government amended the Women's Charter to impose more severe penalties on human traffickers, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of S$100,000.

2019: Semiconductor Industry 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, used by 48.3% of the population.

2020: Changi Airport Superseded as World's Best Airport

From 2013 to 2020, Changi Airport had been rated as the world's best airport before being superseded by Hamad International Airport in Doha.

2020: Delay in Implementing Satellite-Based ERP System

In 2020, the implementation of a satellite-based system to replace the physical gantries of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) was delayed.

2020: Government Sets Aside Funds for Coastline and Flood Protection

In its 2020 budget, the government of Singapore allocated an initial $5 billion towards a Coastline and Flood Protection Fund to address the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.

2020: Religion in Singapore

In the 2020 census, Buddhism was the most widely practised religion, with 31% of residents declaring themselves adherents.

2020: Singapore Census

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: PAP Vote Share Drops

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

2021: Loh Kean Yew achieves a "World Champion" status

In 2021, Loh Kean Yew achieved a "World Champion" status when he won a badminton gold at the 2021 BWF World Championships men's singles.

2021: Protest for 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 for adherence to the rule of law.

2022: Announcement of Section 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: Singapore's Median Age and Live Births

In 2022, the median age of Singaporean residents was 42.8, and 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 decriminalising homosexual behaviour in Singapore.

2023: Singapore Population

As of mid-2023, the estimated population of Singapore was 5,917,600, of whom 3,610,700 (61.6%) were citizens.

2023: Changi Airport Had Busiest International Air Routes

In 2023, Changi Airport had three of the world's ten busiest international air routes: Kuala Lumpur–Singapore, Jakarta–Singapore, and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi–Singapore.

2023: Singapore Airlines Ranked World's Best Airline

In 2023, Singapore Airlines was awarded the title of World's Best Airline by Skytrax, and Changi Airport reclaimed its title as the world's best airport.

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 published by Reporters Without Borders, improving from 139 the previous year.

2023: 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 Ranks Highly in Global Competitiveness

In 2023, Singapore was ranked as the world's 4th most competitive economy by the International Institute for Management Development. Singapore also had the highest GDP (PPP) per capita in 2023.

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: US$250,000 equivalent to US$2,494,456 in 2024

In 1965, the explosion caused US$250,000 (equivalent to US$2,494,456 in 2024) in damages to MacDonald House.

2024: Changi Airport Superseded as World's Best Airport once More

In 2024, Changi Airport was superseded once more from the title of the world's best airport.

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

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

2024: Military Spending

In 2024, the government spent 2.7% of the country's GDP on the military, the highest in the region.

2025: Singapore Ranked Highly in Human Development Index

In the 2025 report, Singapore was ranked 13th in the world in the Human Development Index (HDI) with a value of 0.946.

2025: PAP Wins Election

Lawrence Wong's first electoral test in the 2025 election saw the PAP winning 65.5% of the vote and 87 out of 97 seats in Parliament.

2026: Expected Implementation of Satellite-Based ERP System

Due to global shortages in the supply of semiconductors, the implementation of a satellite-based Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system has been delayed until 2026.

2040: Projected Water Stress by 2040

Singapore is projected to face significant water stress by 2040.

2060: Projected Water Demand by 2060

By 2060, water demand in Singapore is expected to double from 1.4 to 2.8 billion litres per day, with reclaimed water expected to meet 50% of the demand and desalination accounting for 30%.