Short facts about the government of Singapore
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Republic of Singapore
conventional
short form: Singapore |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
republic |
| Administrative divisions: |
none |
| Independence: |
9 August 1965 (from
Malaysia) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 9 August
(1965) |
| 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 |
| Suffrage: |
21 years of age; universal and
compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
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 LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November
1990) 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 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 26
August 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: |
People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok
Tong, secretary general] - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or
SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers'
Party or WP [J. B. JEYARETNAM] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
APEC, ARF, 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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE,
UNTAET, 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: [1] (202)
537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
consulate(s)
general: Los Angeles, San Francisco
consulate(s): New
York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 27 Napier Road,
Singapore 258508
mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP
96534-0001
telephone: [65] 476-9100
FAX: [65]
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 | Source: World Factbook |
