Singapore, a city state, is both a city and a country, and one the wealthiest, most developed countries in the world. Born out of the extreme hardship and mass killings of World War II, the country was taken under United Kingdom control after the Japanese defeat. In 1963, Singapore merged with the states of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak to form what is Malaysia today. In 1965, Singapore split from Malaysia and formed its own country.