chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)
note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal
communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Senior
Minister Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 1 April 2009); Minister Mentor
LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee
Huan (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng
(since 1 September 2005)
cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term;
appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August
2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in
August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified
three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came
closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency"
members
elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,
SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 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 [LEE Hsien Loong]; Reform Party [NG
Teck Siong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong];
Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party
or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]
note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore
National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel L.
SHIELDS III
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340
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
Economy ::Singapore
Economy - overview:
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy.
It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed
countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in
consumer electronics, information technology products,
pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. Real GDP growth
averaged 7% between 2004 and 2007, but dropped to 1.1% in 2008 as a
result of the global financial crisis. The economy contracted in the
last three quarters of 2008. Prime Minister LEE and other senior
officials have dampened expectations for a quick rebound in 2009.
Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to global demand cycles especially
for information technology products. It has attracted major
investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and
will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's
financial and high-tech hub.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$237.9 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
$235.3 billion (2007 est.)
$218.3 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$181.9 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
7.8% (2007 est.)
8.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$51,600 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
$51,700 (2007 est.)
$48,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0%
industry: 27.8%
services: 72.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.94 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 0%, industry 22.6%, services 77.4% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
2.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.1 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 30
Investment (gross fixed):
28.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Budget:
revenues: $29.25 billion
expenditures: $26.48 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
99.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
2.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.38% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$52.57 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 21
$44.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$179 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 15
$162.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$143.6 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 33
$129.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$268.6 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 28
$353.5 billion (31 December 2007)
$276.3 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish
Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,
life sciences, entrepot trade
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Electricity - production:
38.67 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Electricity - consumption:
36.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
8,553 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Oil - consumption:
896,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Oil - exports:
1.289 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Oil - imports:
2.109 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - consumption:
8.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 115
Natural gas - imports:
8.27 billion cu m
country comparison to the world: 27
note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2008 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Current account balance:
$25.78 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$39.11 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$342.7 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$303.1 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 12.1%, Indonesia 10.5%, Hong Kong 10.3%, China 9.2%, US
7.1%, Japan 4.9%, Australia 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$309.6 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
$254 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs,
consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Malaysia 11.9%, US 11.8%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.6%,
Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$174.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
$163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$25.52 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$232.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$173.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$169.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.), 1.507
(2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)
Communications ::Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.857 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.375 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 77
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless
service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular
teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide
links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;
satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 19, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (broadcasting on 8 channels); additional reception of numerous UHF
and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2008)
Internet country code:
.sg
Internet hosts:
864,943 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 43
Internet users:
3.37 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
Transportation ::Singapore
Airports:
8 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 164
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 106 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 3,297 km
country comparison to the world: 164
paved: 3,297 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,292
country comparison to the world: 5
by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209,
container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated
cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53
foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6,
China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15,
Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South
Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland
2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22)
registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize
2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3,
Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle
of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18,
Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and
Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23,
US 12, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Singapore
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and
offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and
armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been
attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked
vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East
Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military ::Singapore
Military branches:
Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)
(2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of
age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a
reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,033,961
females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 27,715
female: 26,290 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Transnational Issues ::Singapore
Disputes - international:
disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to
Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge
construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore
Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a
consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the
parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca
Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and
Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime
boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's
Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Illicit drugs:
drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as
a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for
money laundering
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Slovakia (Europe)
Introduction ::Slovakia
Background:
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World
War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form
Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia
became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe.
Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more
became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU
in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.
Geography ::Slovakia
Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 49,035 sq km
country comparison to the world: 130
land: 48,105 sq km
water: 930 sq km
Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 1,474 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676
km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
the south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
manganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use:
arable land: 29.23%
permanent crops: 2.67%
other: 68.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,830 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
50.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.04
per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks;
acid rain damaging forests
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra
Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and
valleys
People ::Slovakia
Population:
5,463,046 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 442,168/female 422,055)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,952,527/female 1,965,646)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 254,510/female 426,140) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.9 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.137% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Birth rate:
10.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Death rate:
9.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Urbanization:
urban population: 56% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 171
male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.4 years
country comparison to the world: 78
male: 71.47 years
female: 79.53 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%,
other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other
or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
Languages:
Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%,
other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2004)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 111
Government ::Slovakia
Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Bratislava
geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Constitution:
ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in
September 1998; amended February 2001
note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the
president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply
for NATO and EU membership
Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply
with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006);
Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan
HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 21 March and 4
April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following
National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the president
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff;
percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%,
SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by
party - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14;
note - seats by party as of December 2008 - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 28, SMK
20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 15, KDH 9, nonaffiliated 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges
elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)
Political parties and leaders:
parties in the Parliament:: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
[Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert
FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY]; People's
Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir
MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or
SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]
selected parties outside the Parliament:: Agrarian Party of the
Provinces or ASV [Vladimir GOZORA]; Alliance of the New Citizen or
ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter ZAJAC];
Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Mission 21 - New Christian
Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD
[Jozef GRAPA]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav
KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak
Communist Party or KSS [Jozef HRDLICKA]; Slovak People's Party or
SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan
LUPTAK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade
Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS;
Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic;
National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and
Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS
International organization participation: