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Singapore History
The East India Company founded Singapore in 1819, coming under the control of the British crown 6 years later. Its superior harbor made it an important port for trade in the area. The Japanese occupied Singapore during World War II but the British regained control in 1945. In 1945, it became a British colony. Fourteen years later, Singapore was declared a self-governing parliamentary democracy as part of the British Commonwealth. Independence was achieved in 1965. The same prime minister served from 1965 until his resignation in 1990 and he oversaw Singapore's growth to economic powerhouse status in Asia (and also its position as an enormously authoritarian country, strictly governed and maintained.)
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