Singapore became an independent country in 1965 following the Independence of Singapore Agreement . Prior to this, Singapore had been part of Malaysia . Singapore first attained internal self-government from the United Kingdom in 1959, although Britain retained control over external affairs and defence. In 1963, the Proclamation of Malaysia created a new federation comprising the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore. At that time, Singapore became an autonomous state within Malaysia. Under the arrangement, Singapore was allowed a high degree of self-governance, while the federal government in Malaysia controlled defence and foreign policy. However, the relationship was strained. Financial disagreements, political tensions, and questions over representation in the Malaysian Parliament created conflict. Critics also argued that the terms limited Singapore’s autonomy too heavily. As tensions escalated, Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965. The Inde...
My first—and so far only—card from Georgia ! It’s always exciting to receive a postcard from a “rare country.” There are only about 119 Postcrossers in Georgia. The sender is from Ozurgeti (ოზურგეთი), the capital of the Guria ( გურია) region. Around 14,000 people live there. The town is situated on a slope that has been levelled into three broad terraces: the lower level contains the market district, public buildings occupy the second terrace, and the highest level is mostly residential. During Soviet times, the city was renamed Makharadze in honour of Filipp Makharadze . It reverted to its original name in May 1989. The postcard itself features Batumi ( ბათუმი) , the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა) . With a population of around 235,000, Batumi serves as a major seaport, commercial hub, and cultural gateway between Europe and Asia. Since the early 2000s, Batumi has undergone rapid modernization, with large-scale investments in tou...