British Malaya
British Malaya is an area around the Malay Peninsula and Singapore Strait that was colonized by the British. It was the world's largest maker of tin and rubber. There were three parts to the British Malaya; Straits Settlements, Federated Malay States, and the Unfederated Malay States. It was replaced with the Federation of Malaya in 1947 and given independence in 1957. It was formed into Malaysia in 1963.
The British started trade in this area around 1800. It became more of a British colony by the later 1800s. Malaya was an important source of rubber and other plant products. The Empire of Japan invaded and conquered Malaya and Singapore in December 1941. Malaya remained under Japanese control for the rest of World War II, with Singapore as the capital.
British Malaya Media
George Town, the capital of Penang. Across the North Channel seen is Butterworth, on the mainland known as Seberang Perai, formerly Province Wellesley.
1888 German map of Singapore
Postage stamp of the Straits Settlements from 1883
Kuala Lumpur circa 1884. Founded in 1859, the mining settlement would grow to succeed Klang town as the capital of Selangor in 1880, and would later be designated as the capitals of the Federated Malay States, the Federation of Malaya and Malaysia.
The flag of Negeri Sembilan
History of the evolution of Malaysia, redrawn as SVG.
Kuala Lumpur circa 1900. As the capital of the newly formed Federated Malay States, the area underwent accelerated development with the construction of new infrastructure, government offices, and commercial and residential buildings; similar rates of development would also be seen in towns and cities across the FMS.
Malaya in 1922.The unfederated Malay states in blueThe
Federated Malay States (FMS) in yellowThe 
British Straits Settlements in red
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