Timeline: Singapore Timeline

May 16, 1945

Japan defeats Singapore

Japan defeated. Singapore under British military administration

May 16, 1946

Singapore becomes seperate colony

Singapore becomes separate crown colony

Mar 20, 1948

First election held

Singapore holds its first election

Jun 5, 1959

Yew becomes Prime Minister

Self-government attained with Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister

Sep 16, 1963

Singapore joins the Federation of Malaysia

Singapore joins the Federation of Malaya, Sabah (North Borneo), and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia.

May 16, 1965

Singapore becomes independent and joins the UN

Singapore pulls out of the Federation of Malaysia, at Malaysia's invitation, amid political and ethnic tensions. The territory becomes an independent republic and joins the United Nations.

Aug 8, 1967

Joins ASEAN

Singapore founder member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

May 16, 1971

British military withdrawn

Last British military forces withdrawn

Nov 28, 1990

Tong becomes new Prime Minister

Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew stands down after 31 years, but continues to exert significant influence as senior minister. Goh Chok Tong becomes new prime minister

May 16, 1993

Cheong becomes first elected president

Ong Teng Cheong becomes first directly-elected president

May 16, 1997

Airliner crashes

Singaporean SilkAir airliner crashes into river in south Sumatra, with the loss of all 104 passengers and crew

May 16, 1998

Asian Financial Crisis hits

Singapore slips into recession for the first time in 13 years during Asian financial crisis

May 16, 1999

S R Nathan becomes president

S R Nathan becomes president without election after he is declared only candidate eligible to run

Apr 16, 2001

First legal rally outside election campaign

Unprecedented anti-government rally - the first legal demonstration outside election campaign. Hundreds gather to support veteran opposition leader J.B. Jeyaretnam who faces bankruptcy and thus expulsion from parliament

Sep 16, 2001