abinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held NA August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election 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 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: National Solidarity Party or NSP [C. K.
TAN]; People's Action Party or PAP
- the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon
Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP ; Workers'
Party or WP

International organization participation: APEC, 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, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, 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: (202) 537-3100
FAX: (202) 537-0876
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507
telephone: 476-9100
FAX: 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
successfu