1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 260 sq km land area: 260 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Coastline
64 km
Environment
current issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which naturally are not very abundant natural hazards: typhoons international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 61% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 19% other: 12%
Location
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, arable land
Note
one of world's largest coral islands
Terrain
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
NA
Death rate
NA
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Infant mortality rate
NA
Labor force
1,000 (1981 est.) by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Languages
Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Life expectancy at birth
NA
Nationality
noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean
Net migration rate
NA
Population
1,837 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
-3.66% (1995 est.)
Religions
Ekalesia Nieue (Niuean Church) 75% - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Morman 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Total fertility rate
NA
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Alofi
Constitution
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Digraph
NE
Diplomatic representation in US
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by New Zealand Representative Kurt MEYER (since NA) head of government: Premier Frank F. LUI (since 12 March 1993; Acting Premier since December 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; consists of the premier and three other ministers
Flag
yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross
Independence
19 October 1974 (became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand on 19 October 1974)
Judicial branch
Appeal Court of New Zealand, High Court
Legal system
English common law
Legislative Assembly
elections last held 6 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (20 total, 6 elected)
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ESCAP (associate), INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue
National holiday
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Political parties and leaders
Niue Peoples Party (NPP), Young VIVIAN
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
US diplomatic representation
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes; subsistence crops - taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Budget
revenues: $5.5 million expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)
Currency
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $62 million
Electricity
capacity: 1,500 kW production: 2.7 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,490 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5601 (January 1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990)
Exports
$117,500 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Western Samoa, Australia, US
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5% (1992)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,200 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand - the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1,000, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.) radios: NA
Telephone system
383 telephones local: NA intercity: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Highways
total: 229 km unpaved: all-weather 123 km; plantation access 106 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Police Force
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand ________________________________________________________________________ NORFOLK ISLAND (territory of Australia)