Straits Settlements, a British colony in the East Indies, consists (since 1867) of settlements on the Straits of Malacca, or rather on the Malay Peninsula - viz. Singapore, Malacca, Penang, Keeling Islands (since 1886), and Christmas Island (since 1889). For particulars of these, see the respective articles. The total area is 1542 sq. m. , and the total pop. (1881) 423,384; (1905) 575,000, of whom 281,000 are Chinese, and 58.000 natives of India. The principal products are tin, gam-bier, tapioca, rice, sugar, pepper, and other spices. The trade is largely a transit one; and the exports approximate an annual value of £26,000,000, the imports of £35.000,000. There are a number of native dependent states, the salient particulars regarding which are given here:

The more notable products of these states are tin, rice, coffee, sugar, tea, cinchona. Tin is chiefly mined in Perak by Chinese, and worked at the mines, and at Singapore and Penang.