History of Singapore in Timeline

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Singapore

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. Geographically, it sits off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordered by the Strait of Malacca, the Singapore Strait (near Indonesia's Riau Islands), the South China Sea, and the Straits of Johor (bordering Malaysia).

1914: World War I

Singapore was not greatly affected by the First World War (1914–18), as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia.

1915: Singapore Mutiny

In 1915, the Singapore Mutiny occurred, involving Muslim sepoys from British India who rebelled against their officers and British civilians before being suppressed.

1921: Singapore Naval Base announced

In 1921, the British announced the defensive Singapore strategy that included the construction of the Singapore Naval Base.

1931: Construction of Singapore Naval Base proceeds at a faster pace

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

1938: Singapore Naval Base construction

By 1938, the Singapore Naval Base was not fully completed, however, it was the largest dry dock in the world, the third-largest floating dock, and had enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months.

1938: Introduction of Section 377A

In 1938, Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalized sexual relations between men, was introduced during British colonial rule.

1939: World War II breaks out in Europe

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

February 1942: British surrender in the Battle of Singapore

On 15 February 1942, the British force of 60,000 troops surrendered to the Japanese in the Battle of Singapore, leading Winston Churchill to call it "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history".

1942: Singapore occupied by Japan

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

August 1945: Japanese surrender to the Allies

In August 1945, after the Japanese surrender to the Allies, Singapore experienced violence and disorder; looting and revenge-killing were widespread.

September 1945: Formal surrender of Japanese forces

On 12 September 1945, British, Australian, and Indian troops led by Lord Louis Mountbatten returned to Singapore to receive the formal surrender of Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki.

1945: British forces planned to liberate Singapore

In 1945, British forces had planned to liberate Singapore; 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 was returned to British control as a Crown colony.

February 1946: Tomoyuki Yamashita hanged for war crimes

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

April 1946: British Military Administration ends

On 1 April 1946, the 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; 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 the election of six members of the Legislative Council was 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 occurred in Singapore.

1955: David Marshall wins Singapore's first general election

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

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

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

1957: Territorial Transfer

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

May 1959: People's Action Party wins landslide victory

On 30 May 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory in the election.

June 1959: Singapore granted full internal self-government

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

1959: Singapore gains self-governance

In 1959, Singapore achieved self-governance.

1959: People's Action Party maintains political dominance

Since 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) has maintained continuous political dominance in Singapore, resulting in limited political pluralism and a highly centralised governance structure.

1959: Self-Governance Granted

Since self-governance was granted in 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) has won large parliamentary majorities in every election.

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

In 1960, Tan Howe Liang became Singapore's first Olympic medalist, winning a silver medal at the Rome Games 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, which would unite the current and former British possessions in the region.

1961: Water Agreement with Malaysia

Singapore has declared that it will be water self-sufficient by the time its 1961 long-term water supply agreement with Malaysia expires.

September 1963: Singapore joins 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 under the terms of the Malaysia Agreement.

1963: Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom

In 1963, Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom, and the government began a process of crafting a unique Singaporean identity and culture.

1963: Singapore becomes part of Malaysia

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

1964: Race riots in Singapore

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

March 1965: Bomb Explodes at MacDonald House

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

August 1965: Singapore becomes independent

On 9 August 1965, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore, with Lee Kuan Yew and Yusof bin Ishak as the first prime minister and president respectively.

August 1965: Singapore expelled from Malaysia

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

1965: Economic Growth

From 1965 growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population.

1965: Singapore becomes an independent country

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

1967: Singapore co-founds ASEAN

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

1967: Garden City Vision

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

1967: Currency Interchangeability

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

1968: General Election

In the 1968 general election, the PAP's vote share was 86.7%.

1969: Race riots break out again

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.

October 1971: British Military Pullout

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

1975: Area Licensing Scheme Implemented

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

1979: Establishment of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

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

1981: Singapore Changi Airport opens

In 1981, Singapore Changi Airport was opened and Singapore Airlines was formed.

1984: Introduction of non-constituency members of parliament

In 1984, non-constituency members of parliament were introduced in Singapore 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 in Singapore to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament.

1989: Women Allowed in Military Vocations

Since 1989, women in the Singapore Armed Forces 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 in Singapore to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs.

1991: Amendment of the constitution

In 1991, the constitution was amended in Singapore 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

Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, 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 referred to as the "Little Red Dot"

In August 1998, Singapore was referred to as the "Little Red Dot" after an article in the Asian Wall Street Journal quoted Indonesian President B. J. Habibie using the term on a map.

1998: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) Introduced

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

1999: Singapore's economic growth

Up until 1999, Singapore experienced economic growth 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, Singaporean literature was showcased in multilingual anthologies such as Rhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry, in which the poems were all translated three times each.

2001: General Election

In the 2001 general election, the PAP's vote share was 75.3%.

2001: Government introduced programs to increase fertility

Starting in 2001, the Singaporean 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 experienced the 2003 SARS outbreak.

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, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became Singapore's third prime minister.

2004: Aid to Aceh After Tsunami

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

2006: World's Best Airport

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

2006: More than 80,000 international students in Singapore

In 2006, Singapore was an education hub with more than 80,000 international students.

2008: 32% of healthcare was funded by the government

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

2008: Inaugural Singapore Grand Prix

In 2008, Singapore began hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship with the Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, marking the inaugural 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.

2008: Financial Crisis

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

October 2009: Foundation 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: 20% of students in Singaporean universities were international students

In 2009, 20% of all students in Singaporean universities were international students—the maximum cap allowed.

2009: 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: First Pink Dot SG event

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

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.

2010: Water Demand

According to official forecasts, water demand in Singapore is expected to double from 1.4 to 2.8 billion litres per day between 2010 and 2060.

2010: Exports constituted 27% of GDP

In 2010, Singapore's main exports, including refined petroleum, integrated circuits, and computers, constituted 27% of the country's GDP.

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

In 2010, Singapore's women's table tennis team became world champions, defeating China at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Russia.

2010: 2010 Census changes racial classification

Prior to 2010, individuals could only register as a member of one race. From 2010 onward, people may register using a multi-racial classification, allowing them to choose one primary and one secondary race.

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: TFR plateaued at 1.1 children per woman

Since 2010, Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) has largely plateaued at 1.1 children per woman, which is among the lowest in the world.

2010: Singapore hosts the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics

Singapore hosted the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, where 3,600 athletes from 204 nations competed in 26 sports.

2010: Religious demographics of Singapore

The text refers to the religious demographics of Singapore in 2010 and notes how the proportion of Christians, Muslims, and the nonreligious slightly increased between 2010 and 2020.

December 2011: 8,800 foreigners were diagnosed with HIV

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

2011: OCBC, DBS and UOB ranked as world's strongest banks

In 2011, 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, respectively, after the 2008 financial crisis.

2011: PAP's Worst Electoral Results

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

January 2013: 5,400 Singaporeans were diagnosed with HIV

As of January 2013, 5,400 Singaporeans were diagnosed with HIV. In 2013, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Singapore as having the best quality of life in Asia and sixth overall in the world.

December 2013: 224,500 foreign domestic workers in Singapore

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

2013: Changes in Attitudes Towards LGBT Rights

According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies, there were indications of increasing societal acceptance of LGBT rights between 2013 and 2019.

2013: World's Best Airport

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

2013: China Becomes Largest Trading Partner

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

2014: Singapore ranked as world's most religiously diverse nation

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: Internet service plans speed offerings in Singapore

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

2015: Increased Land Area

By 2015, land reclamation projects had increased Singapore's land area to 710 km.

2015: Singapore listed as top world destination by Lonely Planet

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 ranked as Asia's most-admired company

In 2015, Singapore Airlines was ranked as Asia's most-admired company and the world's 19th most-admired company by Fortune. Changi Airport had more than 480 World's Best Airport awards as of 2015.

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: Financial Secrecy Index Ranking

In 2015, Singapore ranked fourth on the Tax Justice Network's Financial Secrecy Index of the world's off-shore financial service providers.

2015: Students ranked first in OECD's global school performance rankings

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

2015: Secret negotiations revealed

In 2015, it was revealed that secret negotiations by PAP leaders led to Malaysia's decision to expel Singapore on 7 August 1965.

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 to bring Indonesian capital back into the tax base.

October 2016: Monetary Authority of Singapore Fines Banks

In October 2016, the Monetary Authority of Singapore 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

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

2016: Switch to Polders

In 2016 Singapore switched to using polders for reclamation, in which an area is enclosed and then pumped dry, for land reclamation.

2016: Singapore students topped both PISA and TIMSS

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

2016: 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: 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: Art and culture events at the Esplanade

In 2016, the Esplanade, Singapore's largest performing arts centre, hosted 5,900 free art and culture events.

2016: Tourism generated approximately 8.6% of Singapore's employment

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

August 2017: STB and EDB unveiled "Singapore – Passion Made Possible" 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: Singapore wins the SEA Games gold medal for water polo

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

2017: Reserved Presidential Election

In 2017, Singapore's presidential election was reserved for the Malay community, leading to Halimah Yacob winning in an uncontested election and becoming Singapore's first female president.

2017: Operation Started

Operation Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment started in 2017 and was jointly developed by PUB and the Black & Veatch + AECOM Joint Venture.

June 2018: 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: ASEAN Joint Maritime Exercise with China

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

2018: Most Expensive City

In 2018, Singapore was rated the world's most expensive city by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

2018: Hawker centres in Singapore

In 2018, there were 114 hawker centres spread across Singapore. These centres are maintained by the National Environment Agency, which also grades each food stall for hygiene.

2018: Water/Wastewater Project of the Year Award

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

2019: Survey on LGBT Rights

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

2019: Singaporeans had the longest life expectancy

In 2019, Singaporeans had the longest life expectancy of any country at 84.8 years. Singapore is also ranked 1st on the Global Food Security Index.

2019: Semiconductor companies constituted 11% of the global market share

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

2019: World's Second-Busiest Port

In 2019, the Port of Singapore was the world's second-busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage handled and containerised traffic.

2019: Amendments to the Women's Charter

In 2019, the government amended the Women's Charter to legislate more serious punishments for traffickers, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of S$100,000, in response to pimps trafficking women from neighboring countries.

2020: Satellite-Based System Delay

A satellite-based system was due to replace the physical gantries by 2020, but has been delayed until 2026 due to global shortages in the supply of semiconductors.

2020: Religion statistics from the 2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Buddhism was the most widely practiced religion with 31% of residents declaring themselves adherents. Christianity followed with 18.9%, then Islam at 15.6%, Taoism and Chinese Traditional Beliefs at 8.8%, and Hinduism at 5.0%.

2020: English was the language most spoken at home

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

2020: World's Best Airport

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

2020: Coastline and Flood Protection Fund

In its 2020 budget, the government set aside an initial $5 billion towards a Coastline and Flood Protection Fund.

2020: 2020 Census reports resident demographics

The 2020 census reported that approximately 74.3% of residents were of Chinese descent, 13.5% of Malay descent, 9.0% of Indian descent, and 3.2% of other descent. These proportions were virtually identical to the 2010 census.

2020: General Election

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 wins badminton gold

In 2021, Singapore's Loh Kean Yew achieved a "World Champion" status by winning 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.

2022: Announcement of Repeal of 377A

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

2022: Median age highest in the world, live births hit a record low

In 2022, the median age of Singaporean residents was among the highest in the world at 42.8, and live births hit a record low.

2022: Ranked 7th in the Global Innovation Index

Singapore was ranked 7th in the Global Innovation Index in 2022, highlighting its consistent performance in innovation.

January 2023: Repeal of Section 377A

The law criminalizing sexual relations between men, Section 377A, was officially repealed on 3 January 2023.

2023: Singapore's estimated population was 5,917,600

As of mid-2023, the estimated population of Singapore was 5,917,600, with 3,610,700 citizens, 522,300 permanent residents, and 1,644,500 foreign workers, international students, or dependants. The overall population increased by 5% from the previous year.

2023: Busiest International Air Routes

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

2023: World's Best Airline

In 2023, Singapore Airlines held the title of the World's Best Airline by Skytrax. It won this title 12 times.

2023: 13.6 million international tourists visited Singapore

In 2023, Singapore attracted 13.6 million international tourists, which is more than double the total population of Singapore.

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, an improvement 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: 4th Most Competitive Economy

In 2023, Singapore was the world's 4th most competitive economy, according to the International Institute for Management Development's World Competitiveness Ranking of 64 countries.

May 2024: Lawrence Wong becomes Prime Minister

On 15 May 2024, Lawrence Wong became Singapore's fourth Prime Minister; he is the first prime minister born after independence.

2024: Global Peace Index Ranking

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

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

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Max Maeder won Singapore's first Olympic medal in sailing, achieving bronze at the Men's Formula Kite on National Day. At 17, he was also Singapore's youngest Olympic medalist.

2024: Airport Superseded

In 2024, Changi Airport was superseded once more.

2024: Military Spending

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

2024: Ranked 4th in the Global Innovation Index

Singapore was ranked 4th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024, demonstrating its strong performance in innovation.

2024: MacDonald House explosion damage value in 2024 dollars

The explosion at MacDonald House on March 10 1965, caused US$250,000 in damages equivalent to US$2,494,456 in 2024.

2025: Human Development Index Ranking

In the 2025 report, Singapore was ranked 13th in the world in the Human Development Index (HDI).

2025: General 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: Satellite-Based System

A satellite-based system that will replace the physical gantries by 2026 due to global shortages in the supply of semiconductors.

2040: Projected Water Stress

Singapore is projected to face significant water-stress by 2040.

2060: Projected Water Demand

According to official forecasts, water demand in Singapore is expected to double from 1.4 to 2.8 billion litres per day between 2010 and 2060.

2061: Water Agreement Expiry

Singapore has declared that it will be water self-sufficient by the time its 1961 long-term water supply agreement with Malaysia expires in 2061.