ic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How
Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group);
Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,
PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore
National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group);
Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group);
Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
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, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends heavily on
exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard
hit in 2001-03 by the global recession and the slump in the
technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle but
is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest
rates, and global economic recovery should lead to much improved
growth in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $109.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23