HISTORY OF SINGAPORE

A Srivijayan Prince Named Sang Nila Utama Found A Srivijayan Prince Named Sang Nila Utama Found Temasek. He Saw A Singa [Lion] And Renamed The Island Temasek. He Saw A Singa [Lion] And Renamed The Island As Singapura.As Singapura.

Temasek ('Sea Town' in Old Javanese, spelt Tumasik) was the name of an early city on the site of modern Singapore. From the 14th century, the island has also been known as Singapura, which is derived from Sanskrit and means "Lion City". Legend has it that the name was given by Sang Nila Utama when he visited the island in 1299 and saw an unknown creature, which he mistook as a lion.

FOUNDING OF SINGAPORE

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Malay Archipelago was

gradually taken over by the European colonial powers, beginning

with the arrival of the Portuguese at Malacca in 1509. The early

dominance of the Portuguese was challenged during the 17th

century by the Dutch, who came to control most of the ports in the

region. The Dutch established a monopoly over trade within the

archipelago, particularly in spices, then the region's most important

product. Other colonial powers, including the British, were limited to

a relatively minor presence.

T

he Dutch had been stifling

British trade in the region by

prohibiting the British from

operating in Dutch-controlled

ports or by subjecting them to

a high tariff. Raffles hoped to

challenge the Dutch by

establishing a new port along

the Straits of Malacca, the

main ship passageway for the

India-China trade.

SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES

I

n 1818, Sir Stamford Raffles was

appointed as the Lieutenant Governor

of the British colony at Bencoolen. He

was determined that Great Britain

should replace the Netherlands as the

dominant power in the archipelago,

since the trade route between China

and British India, which had become

vitally important with the institution

of the opium trade with China, passed

through the archipelago.

FOUNDING OF SINGAPORE

R

affles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognized the island as a

natural choice for the new port. It lay at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, near

the Straits of Malacca, and possessed a natural deep harbor, fresh water supplies, and

timber for repairing ships. Raffles found a small Malay settlement, with a population of

a few hundred, at the mouth of the Singapore River,

B

efore Raffles arrived, there were around 1,000 people living in Singapore, mostly

Malays and a few dozen Chinese.By 1869, due to migration from Malaya and other

parts of Asia, Singapore's population had reached 100,000. Many Chinese and Indians

immigrants came to Singapore to work in the rubber plantations and tin mines, and

their descendents later formed the bulk of Singapore's population.

TT

his trading port is his trading port is

situated along busy situated along busy

shipping routes that shipping routes that

connect Europe to China. connect Europe to China.

The Port of Singapore is The Port of Singapore is

the world's busiest and the world's busiest and

very popular port as it is very popular port as it is

in the centre of the main in the centre of the main

trading route.trading route.

SINGAPORE AS A TRADING PORT

LEGENDS OF THE NAME TEMASEK

Temasek is `Sea Town’ in old Temasek is `Sea Town’ in old

Javanese. It was the name of an early Javanese. It was the name of an early

city now known as Singapore. From city now known as Singapore. From

the 14th century, the island has also the 14th century, the island has also

been known as Singapura which been known as Singapura which

means `Lion City’.means `Lion City’.

T

he Merlion is a statue with

the head of a lion and the

body of a fish, used as a

mascot to identify

Singapore. Its name

combines `mer’ meaning

the sea and `lion’. The

fish body represents

MERLION

INDEPENDENCE OF SINGAPORE

T

he history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore gained its independence and became a

republic following an ejection from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. After the separation, the fledgling

nation had to become self-sufficient, and faced problems including mass unemployment, housing

shortages and lack of land and natural resources such as petroleum. During Lee Kuan Yew's term as

prime minister from 1959 to 1990, his administration curbed unemployment, raised the standard of

living and implemented a large-scale public housing programme. The country's economic infrastructure

was developed, racial tension was eliminated and an independent national defence system was created.

Singapore evolved from a developing nation to first world status towards the end of the 20th century.

I

n 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee as Prime Minister. During his tenure, the country tackled the

economic impacts of the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2003 SARS outbreak, as well as terrorist

threats posed by the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) post–11 September and the Bali bombings. In 2004 Lee Hsien

Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third prime minister.