Singapore :: Government
Official name: Republic of Singapore
Year of independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday: Independence Day/Singapore Day, 31 August (1957)
Head of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)
The President is elected for a fixed term of six years.
Head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004)
Type of government: parliamentary republic based on the Westminster model
Legislature: unicameral Parliament (i.e., having a single legislative chamber)
National flag: 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
White = pervading and everlasting purity and virtue
Crescent moon = a young nation on the ascendant
Five stars = the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality