Figure 1.-- As recently as World War II there were jungle areas close to Singapoere and even undevelpped areas on Singapore Island. Today singapore Island is entirely developed and urbnized. There are lnd rclamatio projcts tocreate more lnd.

Almost all countries have a history dating back centuries if not millenia. This is not the case of singapore which until the 19th centyury was a mere fihing village. Today's Republic of Singapore, is a tiny city-state on an island at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It was turned by the British from an undestinuished fishing village into a major colonial bulwark and part of its Malayan colony. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded Singapore as a trading post of the East India Company with permission from the Johor Sultanate (1819). The British subsequently obtained sovereignty over the island (1824). Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements (1826). Its strategic location on the Malayn Straits gave it great imprtance. The development of the rubber industry turned Singapore into a financial powehouse. It was occupied by Japan at the onset of the Pacific War (1942). After the War it was part of Malaysia which Britain granted independence (1963). It was expelled by the Malaysian Parliament (1965). Ethnic and religuous differences were involved. Singapore has since developed rapidly into not only a huge port, but major financial center. Its patriarch Lee Kuan Yew adopted free market capitalism at a time when most newly independent countries persued socialism. The result was unlike widespread economic failure in most newly indeoendent countries wasin Singapore one of the most successful economies in the world. Singapore became one of the Asian Tigers which achieved rapid economic growth and high percapita incomes. Modern Singapore is highly urbanized. Little of the topical jungle folliage remains. The country's small territory has been expanded with land reclamation. Singapore' children wear practical western-style clothing. The tropical climate makes for casual, comfortable styles that are imported. There is not much of a textile manufacturing industry here due to the fact that the country has moved on into the secondary and tertiary industries. A reader in Singapore tells us that, "The clothes here are not exceptional, just what you would expect to wear in summer in the United States." HBC also has some information on Singapore schools and youth groups.

Geograpphy

Today's Republic of Singapore, is a tiny city-state on an island at the tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It has a tropical climate, about 85 miles (137 kilometres) north of the Equator. Singapore Island has a roughly diamond shape. There are some 60 small islets around the main island. Singapore Islkand is separated from Peninsular Malaysia to the north by Johor Strait. This is a narrow channel anoit bhalf a mile long. It is now crossed bymany road and rail causeways. The southern limits of Singapore boeder the Singapore Strait, one of the busiest waterways in the world. Here islets of the Indonesian Riau-Lingga Archipelago are located some 10 miles from Dingapore. Modern Singapore is highly urbanized. Little of the topical jungle folliage remains. The country's small territory has been expanded with land reclamation.

History

Almost all countris have a history dating back centuries if not millenia. This is not the case of singapore which until the 19th century was a non-descript fishing village. The Singapore area, howevr, has been of importance since maritime trade between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific has been of importance. The earliest accounts of Singapore come from the Chinese whose mariners and traders were active in the Pacific. Mongol Emperors were known to send trade missions and Chinese traders recognized the importance (14th century). The history of Singapore has been tied up with both the Malay Peninsula and the archepeligo that is now Indonesia, especially Sumatra and Java. The Nagarakretagama, a Javanese epic poem refers to a settlement on an island belived to be Singapore (1365). There was reportedly a mixed Malay-Chinese population. Archeological evidence suggest that Singapore was at the time a thriving port. Singapore is known to have been a thriving trading port of the Malacca Sultanate abd subsequently the Sultanate of Johor. The Malay Peninsula because of its strategic importance became a target for adversarial European colonial powers. The Portuguese were the first to arrive and establishing a fort at Malacca (1509). The Portuguese as part of their effort to seize control of the area and dominate the Strits of Malacca attacked and burned the settlement (1613). Singapore island thus foer a time declined into obscurity. The Dutch challenged the Portuguese (17th century). The Dutch managed to estblish control of the major ports in the area. Their primary focus was on the spice trade. They adopted policies to discorage traders from other countries. This eventually led to conflict with the British, especially after trade between British India and China grew, in part because of the British promotion of the opium trade. Friction increased when the Dutch actively descouraged British use of Dutch ports. The British appointed Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles as the Lieutenant Governor of the British colony at Bencoolen (1818). He for some time saw the need for a British presence on the Malay Archipelago. Raffles wanted to establish the Dutch by founding a new port along the Straits of Malacca--the main sealane for the vital India-China trade. He convinced Lord Hastings, the Governor-General of India and his superior at the British East India Company, to sponsor an expedition to find a site for a new British base. He landed on Singapore Island (1819). It was turned by the British from an undestinuished fishing village into a major colonial bulwark and part of its Malayan colony. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded Singapore as a trading post of the East India Company with permission from the Johor Sultanate (1819). The British subsequently obtained sovereignty over the island (1824). Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements (1826). Its strategic location on the Malayn Straits gave it great imprtance. Singapore rapidly grew to one of the most impprtant ports in Asia. As becuse of the ship trafic between India and China, Chinese workers and merchantment soon became the dominant ethnic group in Singapore. The development of the rubber industry turned Singapore into a financial powehouse. And after World War I, the British turned Singapore into a naval bastion. It was to safeguard British interests in the region and Australia as japan prepared for the Pacific War. Unfortunatly, as a result of the fall of France and the Battle of the Atlantic, Britain had to withdraw the fkleet. Singapore became a Naval bastion without a naval force. It was occupied by Japan at the onset of the Pacific War (February 1942). The Japanese occupation was a terrible time for Singapore's largely ethnic-Chinese population. The Japanese considered the Chinese to be enemies and a security threat and committed horendous atrocities. After the War it was part of Malaysia to which Britain granted independence (1963). It was expelled by the Malaysian Parliament (1965). Ethnic and religuous differences were involved.

Economy

Singapore like Hong Kong was created by the British. It began as a tiny, nomdescript fishing village likr countless others in Southeast Asia. It became a major outpost of the British Empire. The econmy was initally based on a local market fore regionally produced raw materials. Singapore becaome a buyer of raw material for processingand export. Sinapore achieved indeopence (1965). (After a brief federation with Malaysia.) At the time, there the only significant manufacturing industries were an elemental electrical assembly industry and some oil refining. With the independence, these two sectors took off rapidly. There was an especially important expansion of oil refining (1960s). The electronics industry was aided by Texas Instruments which built a semiconductor manufacturing plant (1967). Singapore patriarch Lee Kuan Yew adopted free market capitalism at a time when most newly independent countries persued socialism. Texas Instruments was attracted by tax incentives. Other foreign electronics companies also set up plants. Singapore became an important part of the expamding elaectronivs industry. Sinapore mafe a name for itself as an atrractice place to do business in Asia. Pharmaceutical compoanies was the next major industry to enter Singapore. While manufacturing led the way, services followed. By far the most important was financial services. Singapore privided the security need for a final serbices sector. It was a haven for the violent chaotic situation of neignoring countries. And the exciting life of one of the world's most viubranbt cities became a tourist draw. Singapore free market, capitalist policies including government intervention, low inflation, prudent macroeconomics, have led to high growth amd rising incomes. Singapore has developed rapidly into not only a huge port, but major financial center. The result was unlike widespread economic failure in most newly independent countries, Singapore was one of the most successful economies in the world. Singapore became one of the Asian Tigers which achieved rapid economic growth and high percapita incomes. In recent years the Government has been attempting to increase the participation in the hisher end manufacturing operations. They are pushing innovation along with research and development so that the country not only assembled compoments. They are also entering biotechnology and other high-tech sectors. The Government wants Singapore to become a center for new ideas to beinvented rather than executed. The country has a n excellent, modern educatiin system, but on that is not yet producingyoung peole best suited for this change. Manufacturing is, however, only a quarter of the economy. Services are much more important, especually finanaciual services. Singapore was adversely affected by the Asian financial crisis (1997-98). The Government responded with heavy investment in new infrastructure. Stock markettrading was liberalized and banking restrictions eased to improve the country's competitive edge over regional comptetitors.

Garments

Singapore' children wear practical western-style clothing. The tropical climate makes for casual, comfortable styles that are imported. There is not much of a textile manufacturing industry here due to the fact that the country has moved on into the secondary and tertiary industries. A reader in Singapore tells us that, "The clothes here are not exceptional, just what you would expect to wear in summer in the United States."

Schools

Modern Singapore has one of the world's finest education systems. It is an important element in the country's phenomenal economic performance as one of the Asian Tigers. The key element of course is free market capitalis, but an effective education system enables a broad spectrum of the country's young people to participate in the economic oportunities created by one of the most vibrant economies in Asia. Sinapore education is a kind of melding of secular British education and high academic styandards with traditional Chinese respect for learning and scholarship. It proved to be a model for China. Deng Xiaoping from an rarly point began to talk about Singapore and the other Asian tigers. Sinngaporr has excellent publuc schools in addition to many fine private schools. Almost all Singapore school children wear school uniforms. The tradition is very well established. They are required by the Government at state schoolds, although the Government does not mandate the style ad color. Singapore was a former British colony and school uniforms were well established in the colonial era. Uniforms were furing the colonial period the traditional British school boy uniforms. Modern Singapore uniforms are more casual than the traditional English styles. Given the warm climate, boys wear short pants and open-necked shirts.

Youth Groups

There are eight uniformed youth groups in Singapore. All these uniform groups are left behind as a relic of the British colonial rule, from which the county gained independence in 1965. The largest groups are the Ntional Police Cadets and the National Cadets. This is unlike many other countries, especially countries with British colonial backgrounds. There are both coed and single gender groups and there are groups with both primary and secondary school age membership and other that are restricted to secondary school members.

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Created: 12:56 AM 3/11/2008
Last updated: 3:45 AM 10/28/2019