Singapore is a city-state located near the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, in Southeast Asia. It was founded by the British in 1819 and gained independence on August 9, 1965. Its name comes from two Sanskrit words: simha (lion) and pura (city), hence the sometimes used name of the City of Lion. The image of the Merlion statue is a well-known symbol of Singapore, used until 1997 as a logo by the local chamber of tourism.
