*Singapore, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Singapore
conventional short form:
Singapore
Digraph:
SN
Type:
republic within Commonwealth
Capital: Singapore
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965; based on preindependence State of Singapore
Constitution
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Political parties and leaders:
government:
People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary general
opposition:
Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; Singapore Democratic Party (SDP),
CHIAM See Tong; National Solidarity Party (NSP), leader NA; Barisan Sosialis
(BS, Socialist Front), leader NA
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
President:
last held 31 August 1989 (next to be held NA August 1993); results -
President WEE Kim Wee was reelected by Parliament without opposition
Parliament:
last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held 31 August 1996); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP 1
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President WEE Kim Wee (since 3 September 1985)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister
LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister ONG Teng
Cheong (since 2 January 1985)
Member of:
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, COCOM (cooperating country), CP, ESCAP, G-77,
GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador S. R. NATHAN
*Singapore, Government
chancery:
1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone:
(202) 667-7555
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jon M. HUNTSMAN, Jr.
embassy:
30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617
mailing address:
FPO AP 96534
telephone:
[65] 338-0251
FAX:
[65] 338-4550
Flag:
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
Overview:
Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and
manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from
its entrepot history. The economy appears to have pulled off a soft landing
from the 9% growth rate of the late 1980s, registering higher than expected
growth in 1992 while stemming inflation. Economic activity slowed early in
1992, primarily as a result of slackened demand in Singapore's export
markets. But after bottoming out in the second quarter, the economy picked
up in line with a gradual recovery in the United States. The year's best
performers were the construction and financial services industries and
manufacturers of computer-related components. Rising labor costs continue to
be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, but there are indications that
productivity is catching up. Government surpluses and the rate of gross
national savings remain high. In technology, per capita output, and labor
discipline, Singapore is well on its way toward its goal of becoming a
developed country.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $45.9 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
5.8% (1992)
National product per capita:
$16,500 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
2.7% (June 1992)
Budget:
revenues $10.4 billion; expenditures $9.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1993)
Exports:
$61.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products,
telecommunications equipment
partners:
US 21%, Malaysia 13%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%, Thailand 6%
Imports:
$66.4 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners:
Japan 21%, US 16%, Malaysia 14%, Taiwan 4%
External debt:
$0 Singapore is a net creditor
Industrial production:
growth rate 2.3% (1992); accounts for 28% of GDP
Electricity:
4,860,000 kW capacity; 18,000 million kWh produced, 6,420 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing
and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot
trade, financial services, biotechnology
Agriculture:
occupies a position of minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in
poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops - rubber,
copra, fruit, vegetables
*Singapore, Economy
Illicit drugs:
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe,
and the Third World; also a major money-laundering center
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.0 billion
Currency:
1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6531 (January 1993), 1.6290 (1992),
1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
*Singapore, Communications
Railroads:
38 km of 1.000-meter gauge
Highways:
2,644 km total (1985)
Ports:
Singapore
Merchant marine:
492 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,763,511 GRT/15,816,384 DWT;
includes 1 passenger-cargo, 125 cargo, 72 container, 7 roll-on/roll-off
cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 18 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 165
oil tanker, 8 chemical tanker, 7 combination ore/oil, 2 specialized tanker,
5 liquefied gas, 74 bulk, 3 combination bulk; note - many Singapore flag
ships are foreign owned
Airports:
total:
10
usable:
10
with permanent-surface runways:
10
with runways over 3,659 m:
2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
4
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3
Telecommunications:
good domestic facilities; good international service; good radio and
television broadcast coverage; 1,110,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 13
AM, 4 FM, 2 TV; submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and peninsular
Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 1
Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT