lection results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 26 August
2002)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested
constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1;
note - subsequent to the election, there was a change in the
distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows: PAP 80,
WP 1, SPP 1, vacant 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the
president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are
appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice);
Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH
Chok Tong, secretary general] - the governing party; Singapore
Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore People's Party
or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [J. B. JEYARETNAM]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
Australia Group (observer), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
CHAN Heng Chee

chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, San Francisco

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant)

embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96534-0001

telephone: [65] 476-9100

FAX: [65] 476-9340

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white;
near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white
crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially
enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Singapore Economy

Economy - overview: Singapore is blessed with a highly developed and
successful free-market economy, a remarkably open and
corruption-free business environment, stable prices, and the fifth
highest per capita GDP in the world. Exports,