Another card from a “rare country”—my first and only one so far from Armenia . The photo shows Yerevan , the capital city, with Mount Ararat in the background. Yerevan (Երևան) is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. It was founded in 782 BCE by Argishti I of the Kingdom of Urartu . The “birth certificate” of Yerevan comes from a cuneiform inscription discovered on a basalt stone slab at the Erebuni Fortress . Today, Yerevan has a population of about 1.1 million people and serves as the capital of Armenia. It is the centre of Armenian arts, culture, sports, and religion. Mount Ararat, an important symbol for Armenians, is a dormant compound volcano located in eastern Turkey. Although it lies outside modern Armenia, it holds deep cultural and national significance. It is also associated with the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, which is traditionally believed to have come to rest on its slopes after the flood—although the Bible itself does not specifically name Moun...
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...