Singapore

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

• tropical;
• hot, humid, rainy;
• two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September;
• inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

• industrial pollution;
• limited natural fresh water resources;
• limited land availability presents waste disposal problems;
• seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)

15-64 years:

75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)

65 years and over:

7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.78 male(s)/female

total population:

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

Singaporean(s)

adjective:

Singapore

conventional long form:

Republic of Singapore

conventional short form:

Singapore

chief of state:

President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)

head of government:

Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (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

• 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 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, SDA 1

governing party:

• People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong];
• opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA];
• National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA];
• 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 [leader NA];
• Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman];
• Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong];
• Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN

embassy:

27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

mailing address:

PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001

telephone:

[65] 6476-9100

FAX:

[65] 6476-9340

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service

domestic:

excellent domestic facilities

international:

• submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

total:

38.6 km

narrow gauge:

38.6 km 1.000-m gauge

note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

total:

3,066 km

paved:

3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)

unpaved:

0 km (1999)