three losing opposition candidates who came
closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency"
members
elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,
SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 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 [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore Democratic
Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP
[CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]
note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore
National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

UNFEM [Saleeman ISMAIL]
other: investment companies; news organizations

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340

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

Economy
Singapore

Economy - overview:

Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy.
It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West
European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,
particularly in consumer electronics and information technology
products. It was hard hit f