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.