Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary
general
opposition: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHEE Soon Juan; Workers'
Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; National Solidarity Party (NSP), C. K.
TAN; Singapore People's Party (SPP), CHIAM See Tong

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS
(pending member), C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, 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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN
embassy: 27 Napier Street, Singapore 258508
mailing address: 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

@Singapore:Economy

Economy-overview: Singapore has an open economy with strong service
and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links
derived from its entrepot history. Extraordinarily strong fundamentals
allowed Singapore to weather the effects of the Asian financial crisis
better than its neighbors, but the crisis did pull GDP growth down to
approximately 6% in 1997. Projections for 1998 GDP growth are in the
4.5% to 6.5% range. Rising labor costs and appreciation of the
Singapore dollar against its neighbors' currencies continue to be a
threat to Singapore's competitiveness. The government's strategy to
address this problem includes increasing productivity, improving
infrastructure, and encouraging higher value-added industries. In
applied technology, per capita output, investment, and labor
discipline, Singapore has key attributes of a developed country.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$84.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$24,600 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 28%
services: 72%

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.8% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
total: 1.856 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: financial, b