Singaporeans or
Singaporean people (
Malay:
Orang Singapura;
Chinese: 新加坡人,
pinyin:
Xīnjiāpō Rén;
Tamil: சிங்கப்பூரரும்,
t. Ciṅkappūrarum) refers to people whom are citizens or identify with the
city-state of
Singapore. Singapore is a
multi-racial and
multi-cultural country, with
Chinese,
Malays and
Indians historically making up the majority of the population. The vast majority of Singaporeans descend from the people of
China,
India and the
Malay Archipelago. In 1819, the port of Singapore was established by Sir
Stamford Raffles, who opened the port to free trade and free immigration on the south coast of the island. Many immigrants from the region settled in Singapore. By 1827, the population of the island was composed of people from various ethnic groups.