98 (next to be held 7
November 2000); House of Representatives--last held 2 November 1998
(next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 45; House of
Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Republican Party 223, Democratic Party 211, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the nine justices are appointed
for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party [Jim NICHOLSON,
national committee chairman]; several other groups or parties of
minor political significance

International organization participation: AfDB, ANZUS, APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MIPONUH, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN,
UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Flag description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top
and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the
upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
Puerto Rico

Economy

Economy--overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and
technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP
of $31,500, the largest among major industrial nations. In this
market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make
most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services
predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy
considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western
Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off
surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they
face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home