British Malaya

British Malaya was a collection of territories in Southeast Asia, mainly in present-day Malaysia, Singapore, and parts of Thailand, that were controlled by Britain from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. It included the Straits Settlements (Singapore, Penang, Malacca) and the Federated Malay States, which were governed as British protectorates. The economy was heavily based on tin and rubber industries, attracting immigrants from China and India. British Malaya played a significant role in regional trade, and its colonial legacy shaped modern Malaysia and Singapore's development, infrastructure, and multicultural society.