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 the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

16.5% (male 370,660; female 345,713)

15-64 years:

75.8% (male 1,611,502; female 1,687,048)

65 years and over:

7.8% (male 149,452; female 189,518) (2004 est.)

at birth:

1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.79 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2004 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 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

• 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

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]

chief of mission:

Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee

chancery:

3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 537-3100

FAX:

[1] (202) 537-0876

consulate(s) general:

San Francisco

consulate(s):

New York

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

• 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:

excellent service

domestic:

excellent domestic facilities

international:

• country code - 65;
• 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:

3,066 km

paved:

3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)

unpaved:

0 km (1999)

• 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
• 16 years of age for volunteers;
• conscript service obligation to be reduced to 24 months from 30 months beginning December 2004 (June 2004)