Singapore's history began as a small fishing village called Temasek in the 14th century. It became an important trading post when Sir Stamford Raffles established a British settlement in 1819. This marked the start of Singapore's transformation into a major port city, attracting immigrants and traders from various regions. During World War II, Singapore fell to Japanese occupation in 1942, which significantly impacted its population. After the war, Singapore became a self-governing state in 1959 and joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. However, it separated from Malaysia in 1965, becoming an independent nation and rapidly developing into a global financial hub.