# Timeline of Singaporean history

This is a timeline of Singaporean history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Singapore and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Singapore. See also the list of years in Singapore.

## 11th to 12th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1025 | | The region was invaded and occupied by Rajendra Chola of the Chola empire in India, although there has been no record of them visiting the island itself. |

## 13th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1299 | | According to the Malay Annals, the Kingdom of Singapura was founded by Sang Nila Utama, a prince of Srivijaya. The kingdom existed till 1398. |

## 14th century

| Year | Event |
| 1320 | The Mongol court sends a mission to obtain elephants from Long Ya Men (or Dragon's Tooth Strait), believed to be Keppel Harbour. |
| 1330 | The Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan visits Temasek and records an attack by Siam, recording it down alongside Long Ya Men and Ban Zu. |
| 1398 | Parameswara, the last Srivijayan prince, flees from Temasek. |

## 15th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1414 | | Temasek becomes part of the Sultanate of Malacca established by Parameswara. |

## 16th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1511 | 15 August | Malacca fell and was sacked by Afonso de Albuquerque of Portuguese Empire. See Portuguese Malacca. |

## 17th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1613 | | Portuguese burn down the trading outpost at the mouth of Singapore River. |
| 1641 | 14 January | Fall of Portuguese Malacca to Dutch. |

## 19th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1819 | 29 January | Sir Stamford Raffles arrives in Singapore with William Farquhar to establish a trading post for the British East India Company. |
| 1819 | 6 February | The treaty is signed between Sultan Hussein of Johor, Temenggong Abdul Rahman and Sir Stamford Raffles. |
| 1819 | 6 February | William Farquhar is installed as the first Resident of the settlement. |
| 1821 | | Singapore General Hospital was established. |
| 1822 | | Raffles drafts the Raffles Plan of Singapore to reorganise the island. |
| 1823 | 27 May | Dr John Crawfurd appointed as second Resident of the settlement. |
| 1823 | 5 June | Raffles Institution is founded by Sir Stamford Raffles. |
| 1824 | 17 March | The Anglo-Dutch Treaty is signed between Great Britain and the Netherlands. |
| 1824 | 2 August | Singapore becomes a British colony. |
| 1826 | | Singapore becomes part of the British colony of Straits Settlements under the rule of the East India Company, together with Malacca and Penang. |
| 1826 | 27 November | Robert Fullerton was installed as the first Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1830 | | Singapore comes under the Presidency of Bengal in India. |
| 1830 | 12 November | Robert Ibbetson was appointed as the second Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1832 | December | Singapore becomes the centre of government of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1833 | 7 December | Kenneth Murchison was appointed as the third Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1834 | 1 August | Singapore Free School was established. |
| 1836 | 18 November | Sir Samuel George Bonham was appointed as the fourth Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1842 | | St. Margaret's Girls School was founded by Maria Tarn Dyer, the first and oldest all-girls school in Singapore. |
| 1843 | | Thomas Dunman, the first full-time police chief of Singapore, improves the police force as well as the pay and working hours of policemen. |
| 1843 | January | Singapore became ruled directly from the British East India Company. |
| 1843 | August | William John Butterworth was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1844 | 4 March | Raffles Girls' School was established at Bras Basah Road. |
| 1844 | 25 July | The Tan Tock Seng Hospital begins operation. |
| 1845 | 15 July | The Straits Times was established as The Straits Times and Singapore Journal of Commerce. |
| 1852 | | A new deep harbour called New Harbour, later known as Keppel Harbour, is built. |
| 1852 | 22 July | St Joseph's Institution [as St John's Institution] was established at Bras Basah Road. |
| 1854 | | Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) was established. |
| 1855 | 21 March | Edmund Augustus Blundell was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements upon the retirement of William John Butterworth. |
| 1858 | | Singapore is placed under the hierarchy of the Government of India (Calcutta), remaining as part of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1858 | 8 March | Commercial Square is renamed Raffles Place. |
| 1859 | 6 August | Major General Sir Orfeur Cavenagh was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1859 | | The Singapore Botanic Gardens was founded. |
| 1862 | 8 September | Saint Andrews School was founded at Chin Chew Street. |
| 1867 | 16 March | Major General Sir Harry St. George Ord was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1867 | 1 April | Straits Settlements become a crown colony of British Empire. |
| 1867 | 1 April | The Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was formed. |
| 1869 | 17 November | The Suez Canal opens, and Singapore enjoys the increase in trade. |
| 1873 | 4 November | Sir Andrew Clarke was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements upon the retirement of Sir Harry St. George Ord. |
| 1875 | 8 May | Sir William Jervois was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1876 | | Victoria School was established in Kampong Glam. |
| 1877 | 3 April | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1877 | 3 May | The Chinese Protectorate is set up, and William Pickering was the first Protector appointed. |
| 1877 | August | Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1879 | 10 February | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1880 | 16 May | Sir Frederick Weld was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1885 | | Gan Eng Seng School was established at Telok Ayer Street. |
| 1886 | 1 March | Anglo-Chinese School was established at Amoy Street. |
| 1887 | 25 July | Methodist Girls' School was established at Short Street. |
| 1887 | 17 October | Sir Cecil Clementi Smith was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1887 | 1 December | The Raffles Hotel was established. |
| 1888 | | Henry Ridley becomes the first scientific director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. |
| 1888 | | The Singapore Fire Brigade was formed. |
| 1892 | | The Tanjong Pagar Police Station opens, and many Sikh policemen were recruited. |
| 1892 | | Holy Innocents' High School was established. |
| 1893 | 30 August | William Edward Maxwell was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1894 | 1 February | Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1899 | 1 July | Singapore Chinese Girls' School was established at 52 Hill Street. |
| 1899 | 7 December | Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell died while in the office as Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1899 | 7 December | James Alexander Swettenham was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. |

## 20th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1901 | 1 January | Singapore-Kranji Railway officially opened to the public. |
| 1901 | 5 November | Sir Frank Swettenham was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1904 | 16 April | Sir John Anderson was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1905 | 1 June | Singapore change its time zone to GMT+07:00 from the original GMT+6hr 55m 25s. |
| 1906 | 18 November | Tao Nan School was established. |
| 1906 | | The Nanyang branch of Tongmenghui was set up in Singapore. |
| 1910 | 12 March | Anderson Bridge was official opened by Governor Sir John Anderson. |
| 1911 | 2 September | Sir Arthur Young was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1913 | 1 July | The Singapore Harbour board was set up. |
| 1915 | 15 – 25 February | The Singapore Mutiny occurred as British Muslim Indian sepoys rose up against the British. |
| 1917 | 15 August | Nanyang Girls' High School was established by Tan Chor Nam and Teo Eng Hock, partially due to Dr Sun Yat Sen's belief in education for girls, in Dhoby Ghaut. |
| 1917 | 14 June | Nan Hua High School [as Nam Wah Girls' School] established by Mr Xiong Shangfu, its campus in Coleman Street, and it was once a base for the Japanese soldiers during the Japanese occupation. |
| 1919 | 21 March | The Chinese High School established by Tan Kah Kee at 15 Niven Road. |
| 1920 | 17 February | Sir Laurence Guillemard was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1923 | | Singapore starts constructing the main British naval base in East Asia. |
| 1924 | 28 June | Singapore-Johor Causeway officially opens. |
| 1927 | 3 June | Sir Hugh Clifford was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1927 | 7 November | St James Power Station was officially opened by governor Sir Hugh Clifford. |
| 1929 | | Singapore Police Academy was established at Mount Pleasant Road. |
| 1930 | 5 February | Sir Cecil Clementi was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1932 | 15 January | Tanjong Pagar Railway Station commenced operation. |
| 1932 | | Jalan Besar Stadium open to the public. |
| 1933 | 1 January | Singapore change its time zone to GMT+07:20. |
| 1933 | 16 January | CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls' School, Singapore's only bilingual and bicultural IJ school, was founded. |
| 1934 | 9 November | Sir Shenton Thomas was appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements. |
| 1935 | | Catholic High School was established. |
| 1937 | 12 June | Kallang Airport was opened. |
| 1938 | | British Military Hospital, predecessor of Alexandra Hospital was established. |
| 1938 | | Singapore completes the main British naval base, which is the largest drydock and third largest floating dock in the world. |
| 1939 | 24 January | Chung Cheng High School (Main) was established in Kim Yam Road. |
| 1940 | July | British Military Hospital at Alexandra Road was officially open. |
| 1941 | 1 September | Singapore change its time zone to GMT+07:30. |
| 1941 | 7 – 8 December | In an extensive three-pronged attack, Japan opens hostilities with the countries that opposed the Axis powers and their colonies. First air raid on Singapore at 4:15 am. The Imperial Japanese Army invades Malaya. |
| 1941 | 10 December | The British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse are sunk by Japanese bombers. |
| 1941 | 16 December | Second air raid on Singapore, at night. Only RAF Tengah is attacked. |
| 1941 | 25 December | A lone Japanese aircraft drops propaganda pamphlets on Singapore Island. |
| 1941 | 29 December | Second Japanese air raid on Singapore City (and third on the island), at night. Nightly raids commence. |
| 1941 | 30 December | The Overseas Chinese Mobilization Council is set up in Singapore, led by Tan Kah Kee. |
| 1942 | 12 January | First major daylight air raid on Singapore. Henceforth, the island is bombed everyday up to the British surrender (with the exception of 19 January). |
| 1942 | 31 January | Malaya falls to the Japanese and the Causeway is blown up to delay Japan's advancement to Singapore. |
| 1942 | 1 February | The siege of Singapore begins. The Japanese in Johor Bahru begin shelling the island daily in addition to daily aerial bombing. |
| 1942 | 8 February | The Japanese cross the Straits of Johor by inflatable boats and landed in Singapore during the Battle of Singapore. |
| 1942 | 11 February | The Japanese and Allied soldiers fight fiercely at Bukit Timah. |
| 1942 | 13 February | The Malay regiment, led by Lt. Adnan bin Saidi, fight bravely against the Japanese at Pasir Panjang Ridge in the Battle of Pasir Panjang. |
| 1942 | 14 February | The Japanese have captured most of Singapore, and most of the population is crammed into the city centre. |
| 1942 | 15 February | The British surrenders and the Japanese occupation of Singapore starts. Singapore is renamed Syonan-to (Light of the South Island). |
| 1942 | 15 February | Singapore change its time zone to GMT+09:00 to be the same as Japan. |
| 1942 | 18 February – 4 March | The Japanese military police, the Kempeitai kills an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 people during Sook Ching Massacre. |
| 1943 | 27 September | Operation Jaywick occurred. Seven Japanese ships are bombed at Clifford Pier. |
| 1943 | 10 October | The Japanese initiate the Double Tenth Incident in response to Operation Jaywick, by launching a fierce crackdown on anti-Japanese elements and Allied prisoners-of-war in Singapore. |
| 1944 | 27 March | Lim Bo Seng is captured by the Japanese, and dies after 3 months of torture. |
| 1945 | 14 August | Japan surrenders, and there is anomie and looting for nearly a month when the British do not return immediately. |
| 1945 | 5 September | The British return to Singapore after the end of World War II and begin the British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements under the command of Lord Louis Mountbatten. |
| 1945 | 12 September | Singapore revert its time zone back to the pre-war time of GMT+07:30. |
| 1946 | 1 April | The Straits Settlements is dissolved and Singapore becomes a separate crown colony. |
| 1946 | 1 April | The Legislative Council of the Colony of Singapore was formed. |
| 1946 | 1 April | Sir Franklin Charles Gimson was appointed as the Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1947 | | A large number of strikes occur causing stoppages in public transport, public services and the harbour. |
| 1947 | May | Severe food shortage leads to record-low rice ration, causing malnutrition, disease and outbreak of crime and violence. |
| 1948 | 20 March |
| 1948 | 24 June | Rubber plantations and tin mines in Malaya are destroyed by communists, and the British declares the state of Emergency over Singapore and Malaya. The emergency was officially lifted on 31 July 1960 by the Malayan government. |
| 1949 | | The University of Malaya is formed following the merger of Raffles College and King Edward Medical College. |
| 1950 | 11 – 13 December | The Maria Hertogh riots occur. 18 people are killed. |
| 1951 | 10 April | The number of elected seats is increased to 9 in the second election. |
| 1952 | 20 March | Wilfred Lawson Blythe was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1952 | 21 April | Sir John Fearns Nicoll was appointed as the Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1953 | | Rendel Commission is appointed to make recommendations for Singapore's self-government. |
| 1954 | 13 May | Chinese school students demonstrate against the British due to the National Service proposal. See Anti-National Service Riots |
| 1955 | 2 April |
| 1955 | 12 May | Four people are killed during the Hock Lee bus riots. |
| 1955 | 2 June | William Goode was appointed as the Acting Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1955 | 30 June | Sir Robert Black was appointed as the Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1955 | 20 August | Kallang Airport ceased operation. Paya Lebar Airport started operation. |
| 1956 | 9 January | Anglican High School was founded by the Chinese speaking congregations of the Anglican Churches in Singapore. |
| 1956 | 7 June | David Marshall appeals to the United Kingdom for full self-government, but resigns when he fails. Lim Yew Hock takes over as Chief Minister. |
| 1956 | 10 October | Riots by pro-communist Chinese school students occur when government closes down a student union on 24 September 1956. |
| 1956 | 14 October | Dunman High School (formally known as Singapore Government Chinese Middle School), became the first Chinese secondary school established by the government. |
| 1957 | | Cedar Girls' Secondary School was founded. |
| 1957 | 9 December | Sir William Goode was appointed as the Governor of the Singapore. |
| 1959 | March |
| 1959 | 30 May | 3rd general elections (limited self-government) held. People's Action Party wins 43 of 51 seats and Lee Kuan Yew became the first Prime Minister. |
| 1959 | 3 June | A celebration is held at the Padang for Singapore gaining full self-government. |
| 1959 | 3 June | Sir William Goode becomes the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore. |
| 1959 | 3 December | The national anthem Majulah Singapura, written by Zubir Said, is presented. |
| 1959 | 3 December | Encik Yusof bin Ishak becomes the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore. |
| 1960 | 1 February | The Housing and Development Board is set up. |
| 1960 | 8 September | Tan Howe Liang became Singapore's first Olympic medalist. He finished second among 35 competitors in the lightweight category in weightlifting at the 1960 games held in Rome, Italy. |
| 1961 | 25 May | The Bukit Ho Swee fire kills four people and destroys 2,200 attap houses. |
| 1961 | 27 May | Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaya, proposes a merger between Singapore, Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. |
| 1962 | 1 September | A referendum is held in Singapore to vote on merger with Malaysia. |
| 1963 | 2 February | During Operation Coldstore, 107 left-wing politicians and trade unionists are arrested by Internal Security Department |
| 1963 | 9 July | The Malaysia Agreement is signed between leaders of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak. |
| 1963 | 31 August | In this Malaysia Solidarity Day, Lee Kuan Yew declares de facto Independence for Singapore. |
| 1963 | 16 September | Malaysia is formed. Indonesia carries out its konfrontasi campaign. |
| 1963 | 16 September | Encik Yusof bin Ishak becomes the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapura. |
| 1963 | 21 September | The PAP wins the 1963 State Elections, defeating the Barisan Sosialis and UMNO. |
| 1964 | 25 April | The PAP wins one seat in the Malaysian Federal Election. UMNO is outraged. |
| 1964 | 21 July | An ethnic riot between various Malays and Chinese, on Prophet Muhammad's birthday, 23 people are killed. |
| 1965 | 10 March | Indonesian saboteurs carry out the MacDonald House bombing, killing three people. |
| 1965 | May | Lee Kuan Yew begins campaigning for a Malaysian Malaysia |
| 1965 | 7 August | Singapore and Malaysia sign the separation agreement. |
| 1965 | 9 August | The Malaysian Parliament votes to expel Singapore from the Federation; Singapore becomes independent after separating from Malaysia. |
| 1965 | 21 September | Singapore is admitted into the United Nations as the 117th member. |
| 1965 | 15 October | Singapore becomes the 23rd member of the Commonwealth of Nations. |
| 1965 | 22 December | Constitutional Amendment Act is passed and Encik Yusof bin Ishak becomes the first President of Singapore. |
| 1966 | 3 August | Singapore became the 104th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. |
| 1966 | 24 August | The first daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance before the national flag was taken by 500,000 students at all 529 government and aided schools. |
| 1967 | | The Civilian Memorial is unveiled at the Kranji War Cemetery |
| 1967 | 14 March | The National Service bill is passed in the parliament. |
| 1967 | 28 March – 18 April | Registrations for national service begins at the Central Manpower Base. |
| 1967 | 12 June | The issue of the first Singapore dollar. |
| 1967 | 8 August | Singapore joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as one of the founding members. |
| 1967 | 17 August | The first batch of the army is drafted for national service. |
| 1968 | January | Britain announces its intention to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore. |
| 1968 | 19 April | The PAP wins all seats in the 1968 General Election, which is boycotted by Barisan Sosialis. |
| 1968 | | National Archives was established. |
| 1969 | 20 January | The National Junior College, Singapore's first junior college was established. |
| 1969 | 31 May | The 1969 race riots of Singapore broke out after growing tension of the 13 May incident in Malaysia spilled over to Singapore. |
| 1970 | 23 November | Encik Yusof bin Ishak, first President of Singapore died while in office. |
| 1971 | 2 January | Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares becomes the second President of Singapore. |
| 1971 | 31 October | The last British military forces withdraws from Singapore. |
| 1972 | 2 September | The PAP wins the 1972 General Election. |
| 1972 | 1 October | The Singapore Airlines is formed. |
| 1973 | 4 February | The first Chingay parade is held in Singapore. |
| 1973 | 14 July | The Presidential Council for Minority Rights is set up to ensure minority would not be discriminated. |
| 1973 | 21 July | The construction of the National Stadium is completed and open in Kallang. |
| 1974 | 15 January | Hwa Chong Junior College, Singapore's first government-aided junior college was established. |
| 1974 | 31 January | Laju incident: Japanese Red Army bombs petroleum tanks at Pulau Bukom and hijacks a ferry boat. |
| 1974 | March | The construction of Jurong Town Hall is completed. |
| 1976 | 23 December | The PAP wins all 69 seats in the 1976 General Election. |
| 1976 | | St James Power Station was decommissioned and its operations is taken over by Pasir Panjang and Jurong power stations. |
| 1978 | 12 October | Spyros disaster, was a major industrial disaster which claimed 76 lives. |
| 1979 | 1 June | First National Courtesy Campaign was launched. |
| 1979 | | Singapore becomes the world's second busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage. |
| 1980 | 23 December | The PAP wins all 75 seats in the 1980 General Election. |
| 1981 | 12 May | Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares (second President of Singapore) died while in office. |
| 1981 | 1 July | Paya Lebar Airport ceased operation and Singapore Changi Airport starts operation. |
| 1981 | 23 October | C V Devan Nair becomes the third President of Singapore. |
| 1981 | 31 October | Workers' Party of Singapore's Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam elected into Parliament, breaking a 16 years PAP monopoly of the House. |
| 1982 | 1 January | Singapore change its time zone to UTC+08:00. |
| 1982 | | The Civil Defence Programme are launched. |
| 1983 | 29 January | (Singapore Cable Car disaster) Eniwetok, a Panamanian-registered oil rig, hits the Singapore Cable Car system, sending two cabins plunging into the sea and killing seven people. |
| 1984 | 22 August | Non-Constituency Member of Parliament was introduced. |
| 1984 | 22 December | The PAP wins the 1984 General Election while two members of the opposition parties are elected as members of parliament. Three PAP women MPs are also elected, ending a 16 years absence of women representation in Parliament. |
| 1985 | 28 March | C V Devan Nair stepped down as the third President of Singapore. |
| 1985 | 2 September | Wee Kim Wee becomes the fourth President of Singapore. |
| 1985 | | Singapore went into its first ever recession which was induced by government policies. |
| 1986 | 15 March | Collapse of Hotel New World, killing 33 people and injuring 17 others. |
| 1987 | 21 May | 16 people were arrested during Operation Spectrum and detained under the Internal Security Act. Another six were arrested on 20 June. |
| 1988 | 3 September | The PAP wins the 1988 General Election and group representation constituencies (GRC)s are introduced. |
| 1990 | 6 July | The East–West Line of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is completed. |
| 1990 | 22 November | Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 begins operation. |
| 1990 | 28 November | Goh Chok Tong becomes the second Prime Minister of Singapore. |
| 1991 | 26 March | Four Pakistanis hijack Singapore Airlines Flight 117 and demand the release of Pakistan Peoples Party members from Pakistani jails. |
| 1991 | 27 March | Members of the Singapore Special Operations Force storm into Singapore Airlines Flight 117, killing all hijackers and freeing all passengers and crew members. |
| 1991 | 31 August | General elections are held. The result is a victory for the PAP, which wins 77 out of 81 seats. |
| 1993 | August | National Archives of Singapore was formed. |
| 1993 | 1 September | Ong Teng Cheong becomes the first elected President and fifth President of Singapore. |
| 1994 | 5 May | American teenager Michael P. Fay is convicted and caned for vandalism. |
| 1996 | | The parliament passes the Maintenance of Parents law, a private member's bill introduced by Nominated Member of Parliament Woon Cheong Ming Walter. |
| 1997 | 2 January | PAP led by Goh Chok Tong wins a total of 81 out of 83 seats in the 1997 general election. |
| 1997 | 19 December | Silkair Flight 185 crashes into Musi River near Palembang, Sumatra, killing all 104 people on board. |
| 1998 | 15 January | Singapore and United States announces agreement for US ships to use a planned $35 million naval base from 2000. |
| 1998 | September | "The Singapore Story", the first volume of Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs is published. (Li, Guangyao; Lee, Kuan Yew (1998). The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew. Prentice-Hall. ISBN 978-0130208033.) |
| 1999 | 1 September | S. R. Nathan becomes the sixth President of Singapore. |
| 1999 | | Singapore slips into recession during the Asian financial crisis. |
| 2000 | 1 September | Speakers' Corner is launched at Hong Lim Park. |
| 2000 | 31 October | Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes during take-off in Chiang Kai Shek International Airport, killing 83 people. |
| 2000 | | "From Third World to First, The Singapore Story 1965-2000" the second volume of Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs is published. (From Third World to First, The Singapore Story 1965-2000. 3 August 1998. ISBN 978-9812049841.) |

## 21st century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2001 | | Economic recession in Singapore. (to 2003) |
| 2001 | January | A pipeline feeding gas to Singapore from Indonesia's Natuna field in South China Sea opens. |
| 2001 | 3 November | The PAP wins 82 of 84 seats in the 2001 General Election. |
| 2001 | 9 December | 15 suspected militants of Jemaah Islamiah are arrested for alleged bomb plot. |
| 2001 | 27 December | Tropical Storm Vamei, a rare tropic storm that occurs only once in 100 to 400 years, hits Singapore. |
| 2002 | 13 January | Singapore and Japan sign the Japan-Singapore Economic Agreement. |
| 2002 | 12 October | The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay officially opened as Singapore's major performing arts centre. |
| 2003 | 1 March - 16 July | SARS virus outbreak in Singapore. |
| 2003 | 6 May | Singapore and United States sign the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USS-FTA). |
| 2003 | 29 October | A major research center Biopolis opens. |
| 2004 | 20 April | A section of Nicoll Highway collapses, killing 4 people. |
| 2004 | 12 August | Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Kuan Yew's son becomes the third Prime Minister. |
| 2004 | December | National Service was reduced from two and half years to two years. |
| 2005 | 15 January | Singapore and Malaysia settle dispute over land reclamation work. |
| 2005 | 18 April | The government approves the plan to legalise casino-gambling and build two Integrated Resorts. |
| 2005 | 8 July | In the aftermath of 7 July 2005 – London bombings, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong announces plan to set up a new Police MRT Unit to enhance the security of Singapore's public transport. (CNA) Archived 25 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine |
| 2005 | 17 August | S R Nathan returns for his second term as President, following a walkover in the 2005 Singapore presidential election. |
| 2005 | 27 August | White Elephant Incident at Buangkok MRT station. |
| 2005 | 31 December | Singapore Police Academy ceased operational. Home Team Academy replaces the Police Academy and went operational on the following day at Old Choa Chu Kang Road. |
| 2006 | 6 May | The PAP, led by Lee Hsien Loong, wins 82 of 84 seats in the General Election. |
| 2006 | 26 March | Singapore Changi Airport opens the Budget Terminal. |
| 2007 | 20 May | The Marina Bay Floating Platform was opened. |
| 2007 | 30 June | The Former National Stadium was closed for re-construction. |
| 2008 | 9 January | Singapore Changi Airport opens its third passenger terminal. |
| 2008 | 21 February | The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awards the Youth Olympic Games hosting rights to Singapore ahead of Moscow by a vote of 53 to 44. |
| 2008 | 27 February | Jemiah Islamiah terrorist head Mas Selamat bin Kastari escapes from prison. |
| 2008 | September | Singapore slips into recession due to the global financial crisis. World economies hit badly; banks around the world collapse. |
| 2008 | 16 October | Singapore government guarantees all local and foreign currency fixed deposits with a $150 billion pool for that in view of the financial crisis, joining governments around the world in doing so. |
| 2011 | 7 May | PAP loses its grip on Aljunied Group Representation Constituency to the Workers' Party in the General Election. This is the first time an opposition party has captured a GRC since the inception of this scheme in 1988. |
| 2011 | 1 July | Tanjong Pagar Railway Station ceased operation and to be reserved as the Singapore Railway Museum. |
| 2011 | 27 August | Singaporeans, for the first time since the establishment of Presidential Election, will be voting for the next President after the 6th President of Singapore – SR Nathan stepped down on 31 August 2011. The candidates involves in this election includes – Dr Tan Keng Yam Tony, Mr Tan Jee Say, Mr Tan Kin Lian and Dr. Tan Cheng Bock. |
| 2011 | 1 September | Dr Tan Keng Yam Tony is sworn as the seventh President of Singapore. |
| 2012 | 25 September | Singapore Changi Airport closes The Budget Terminal to make way for the construction of future Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4. |
| 2013 | 16 February | More than 3000 Singaporeans gathered at the Speakers' Corner, Singapore at Hong Lim Park for a non-partisan protest against the government's Population White Paper which projected a possible 6.9 million people in Singapore by 2030. |
| 2013 | 24 June | Haze in Singapore reaches 401 PSI, the worst in Singapore history. |
| 2013 | 8 December | The 2013 Little India riot took place after a fatal accident occurred at the junction of Race Course Road and Hampshire Road in Little India, Singapore. |
| 2014 | 12 January | Beginning construction of the new Thomson–East Coast MRT line (Thomson stretch) consisting of 31 new stations (including 7 interchanges). |
| 2014 | 30 June | The new National Stadium re-opened to the public after re-construction. |
| 2015 | 23 March | Lee Kuan Yew passes away. Singapore enters a one-week mourning period. |
| 2015 | 30 June | Ng Teng Fong General Hospital commences operation. |
| 2015 | 22 July | Jurong Community Hospital commences operation. |
| 2015 | 9 August | Singapore turns 50. |
| 2015 | 11 September | The PAP wins 83 of 89 seats in the 2015 General Election. |
| 2016 | 21 July | Beginning construction of the new Thomson–East Coast MRT line (East Coast stretch). |
| 2016 | 22 August | S R Nathan passes away. Singapore enters a one-week mourning period. |
| 2017 | 11 February | Nearly 300 year old Tembusu tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens falls, killing one and injured 4 others. |
| 2017 | 17 April | Othman Wok passes away. Singapore enters a one-week mourning period. |
| 2017 | 13–14 September | Halimah Yacob is elected as the first female president and eighth President of Singapore. |
| 2017 | 31 October | Singapore Changi Airport opens its fourth passenger terminal. |
| 2018 | 12 June | Singapore hosted the Singapore Summit, a summit meeting between North Korea and United States leaders. |
| 2018 | 18 August | Sengkang General Hospital opened to public. |
| 2018 | 19 November | A new passenger terminal in Seletar Airport opened, replacing the old building. |
| 2019 | 28 January | Singapore celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the foundation of modern Singapore by Stamford Raffles. |
| 2019 | 17 April | Jewel Changi Airport opens after a week-long preview. |
| 2020 | 23 January | The first COVID-19 case in Singapore was confirmed involving a 66-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan. |
| 2020 | 10 July | The PAP wins 83 of 93 seats in the 2020 General Election. |
| 2022 | 1 April | Singapore transition to the phase of Living with COVID-19 endemic. |
| 2023 | May | The CPIB of Singapore investigates Ministers K. Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan after accusations regarding their Ridout Road state-owned bungalows rentals. |
| 2023 | 5 June | Raffles Institution celebrates its bicentennial (200th year). |
| 2023 | 11-12 July | Minister of Transport S. Iswaran and tycoon Ong Beng Seng is arrested as part of a CPIB probe. |
| 2023 | 17 July | Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and MP for Tampines GRC (Tampines East) Cheng Li Hui simultaneously resign due to "propriety and personal conduct". Investigations into the matter confirmed that both were having an extramarital affair. |
| 2023 | 19 July | MP for Aljunied GRC (Serangoon) Leon Perera and Nicole Seah resign from office due to a leaked video showing an inappropriate exchange between the two. Later it was found that they were having an extramarital affair. |
| 2023 | 14 September | Tharman Shanmugaratnam is sworn in as Singapore’s ninth President of Singapore. He is the first non-Chinese presidential candidate to win in a contested presidential election in Singapore. |
| 2024 | 18 January | S. Iswaran resigns as Minister for Transport, Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC, and from People's Action Party after being charged with 27 counts relating to bribery and corruption by the CPIB. Chee Hong Tat succeeds Iswaran as Transport Minister. |
| 2024 | 28 February | Ahmed Salim becomes the first death row offender executed for murder in Singapore since 2019. The Bangladeshi painter was convicted for killing his Indonesian ex-girlfriend in 2018. |
| 2024 | 2 March | Former Raffles Institution headmaster and historian Eugene Wijeysingha, passed away at age 90. |
| 2024 | 2 April | Swimmer Joseph Schooling, who won Singapore's first ever Olympic gold medal, retires from swimming at 28. |
| 2024 | 15 April | Lee Hsien Loong announces his resignation as the 3rd Prime Minister of Singapore effective on 15 May 2024. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will assume the position of the 4th Prime Minister of Singapore. |
| 2024 | 22 April | A six-car collision at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and 4 results in the death of two Malay Singaporeans: 17-year-old Temasek Junior College student and a 57-year-old woman. |
| 2024 | 15 May | Lawrence Wong is sworn in as the fourth Prime Minister of Singapore, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong. |
| 2024 | 21 May | Singapore Airlines Flight 321, flying from London to Singapore makes an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after experiencing severe air turbulence over the Bay of Bengal, resulting in one death and at least 71 injured. |
| 2024 | 14 June | An accident involving a Dutch-flagged dredger and a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel occurs at the Pasir Panjang terminal, causing an oil spill that forces the closure of three beaches in Sentosa Island. |
| 2024 | 23 June | The Thomson–East Coast MRT line Stage 4 between Tanjong Rhu and Bayshore stations officially open for service. |
| 2024 | 21 July | Tengah Bus Interchange officially opens. |