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Today, it is a wealthy nation and one of the city-states (Vatican, Monaco and Singapore).
Initially it was a community of Malaysian fishermen, in the throat of the Singapore River.
In 1819 the British East India Company, led by Sir Stamford Raffles, created an administration, which acted as a port on the spice route.
The city has become one of England’s most significant commercial and war centers in Southeast Asia.
In the second world war it was in the possession of the Japanese, but in 1945 England rescued Singapore, which, in 1963, gained its autonomy, joining Malaya.
After two years, however, the city was emancipated and became an independent republic on August 9, 1965.