Stanley NG's video: History Of Singapore III Part 2

http://stanley5.blogspot.com 史丹利五 提供 History Of Singapore (III)Part 2 新加坡的歷史 - 亞洲小龍 by Discovery Channel 新加坡共和國（英語：Republic of Singapore，馬來語：Republik Singapura，泰米爾語：சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரச【讀：Cingkappūr Kudiyarasu】），是東南亞的一個島國，也是一個城市國家。該國位於馬來半島南端，毗鄰馬六甲海峽南口，其南面有新加坡海峽與印尼相隔，北面有柔佛海峽與馬來西亞相隔，並以長堤相連於新馬兩岸之間。新加坡的國土除了本島之外，還包括周圍數島。 1819年，任職于英國東印度公司的斯坦福·萊佛士與柔佛蘇丹簽訂條約，獲准在新加坡建立交易站和殖民地。由於地理位置特殊，新加坡在二次世界大戰以前一直是大英帝國在東南亞最重要的據點，經萊佛士努力，逐漸發展成繁榮的轉口港。1942年至1945年間，新加坡曾被日軍佔據三年半之久，之後回歸英國管轄。1965年獨立後，新加坡在短時間內由發展中國家迅速轉變成為經濟富裕的發達國家，其人民生活水平也因此得以快速提高，從而位居世界之前列。此外，作為亞洲最重要的金融、服務和航運中心之一，新加坡在城市保潔方面效果顯著，故亦有「花園城市」之美稱。 Singapore (Chinese: 新加坡; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō; in Malay: Singapura; in Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர், Cingkappūr), officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At 707.1 km2 (273.0 sq mi), Singapore is one of three remaining true city-states in the world. It is the smallest nation in Southeast Asia. Prior to European settlement, the island now known as Singapore was the site of a Malay fishing village at the mouth of the Singapore River. Several hundred indigenous Orang Laut people also lived along the nearby coast, rivers and on smaller islands. In 1819 the British East India Company established a trading post on the island, which was used thereafter as a strategic trading post along the spice route.[4] Singapore would become one of the most important commercial and military centres of the British Empire, and the hub of British power in Southeast Asia. The city was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, which Winston Churchill called "Britain's greatest defeat".[5] Singapore reverted to British rule immediately postwar, in 1945. Eighteen years later the city, having achieved independence from Britain, merged with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia. However, less than two years later it seceded from the federation and became an independent republic on 9 August 1965. Singapore joined the United Nations on 21 September that same year. Since independence, Singapore's standard of living has been on the rise. Foreign direct investment and a state-led drive to industrialization based on plans drawn up by the Dutch economist Albert Winsemius have created a modern economy focused on electronics manufacturing, petrochemicals, tourism and financial services alongside traditional entrepôt trade. Singapore is the 6th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita.[6] The small nation has foreign exchange reserves of more than US$177 billion.[7] The population of Singapore is approximately 4.59 million.[2] Though Singapore is highly cosmopolitan and diverse, ethnic Chinese form the majority of the population. English is the administrative language of the country. The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore established the nation's political system as a representative democracy, while the country is recognized as a parliamentary republic.[8] The People's Action Party (PAP) dominates the political process and has won control of Parliament in every election since self-government in 1959