Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet 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 by 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 (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 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:
governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong];
opposition parties: Democratic 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