The island city-state of Singapore is situated in Southeast Asia on the southern tip of Malay Peninsula. The capital city covers about a third of the area of the main island.
The name Singapore comes from Malay Singapora, “Lion-city,” but it is possible that one element of its name had a more distant original source.
Singapore has seen many rulers in its history. It has initially been an outpost of the ancient Sumatran Srivijaya empire. In the 15th and 16th century it was part of the Sultanate of Johore and in 1617 it was burned down by Portuguese forces. In the beginning of the 19th century Singapore became a trade post and settlement of the British East India Company and some years later a British crown colony. Singapore joined the Federation of Malaysia when it was formed in 1963, but separated to become an independent state on Aug. 9, 1965.
At present, Singapore is one the most densely populated independent country in the world and is full with folkloric festivals, beautiful temples, domed mosques and architectural churches. The majority of inhabitants are Chinese, with a large number of Malays and Indians. Other ethnic groups constitute only 1% of Singapore’s population.