Malaysia has its origin in the Malay kingdoms present in the area which from the 18th century became subject to the British empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlement, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in1946. Malaysia was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with si being added to give the new country the name Malaysia.