Singapore is an independent city-state in South East Asia, comprising one major island and 59 small adjacent islets, located off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Singapore Island, the major island, is separated from Malaysia to the north by the narrow Johor Strait. Today Singapore is one of the world's largest ports and one of Asia's great crossroads, linking the Indian Ocean to the west with the South China Sea on the east. The allure of this modern, clean city combined with the melting pot of cultures, myriad of sights and excellent shopping make it one of Asia's most popular destinations. Make sure you visit the Jurong Bird Park and Sentosa Island.

Sir Thomas Raffles founded Singapore in 1819, and by 1953 it was declared a British colony. In 1963 Singapore joined Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form the Federation of Malaysia. Cultural tension grew between the Chinese people of Singapore, who greatly outnumbered the Malays, until 1965 when both groups agreed that Singapore separate, becoming its own independent nation.

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