Singapore: History
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Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company establishes a trading post on Singapore island.
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Singapore, Malacca, and Penang are combined to form the British colony of the Straits Settlements.
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Trade booms in South East Asia as a result of the opening of the Suez Canal.
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Singapore falls under British military rule following the defeat of Japan. The nation becomes a separate crown colony one year later.
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Singapore becomes an independent republic.
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Singapore is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
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As the Asian financial crisis hits, Singapore slips into a recession.
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Singapore and Japan sign a free trade agreement.
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Singapore becomes the first Asian nation to sign a free trade agreement with the United States.
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The government approves a controversial plan to legalize casino gambling, paving the way for the construction of two multi-billion dollar casino resorts.
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Singapore becomes the second country in the world after the U.S. to regulate virtual currencies such as bitcoins, in an attempt to prevent money-laundering.
Sources:
BBC NewsBritannica