1819 - Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles establishes Singapore as a trading post for the British East India Company.
1942 - Singapore falls to Japan during Second World War. The island is renamed Syonan-to or "Light of the South Island" in Japanese.
1945-46 - Japanese forces surrender. Singapore becomes a British colony.
1959 - Singapore holds first general election.
1963 - Singapore joins the Federation of Malaya, Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia.
1965 - Declares independence from the Federation of Malaysia.
1990 - Singapore's founding father Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew stands down after 31 years.
1993 - Singapore holds its first presidential election