1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Coastline
64 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Environment-current issues
traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
19 02 S, 169 52 W
Geography-note
one of world's largest coral islands
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 50% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
typhoons
Natural resources
fish, arable land
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 births/1,000 population
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population
Ethnic groups
Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Literacy
definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
1,647 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
-3.65% (1998 est.)
Religions
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%-a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman
Government
Administrative divisions
none; note-there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms
Constitution
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue
Data code
NE
Dependency status
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993) head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March 1993) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA
Flag description
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
Government type
self-governing parliamentary democracy
Independence
on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
International organization participation
ESCAP (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party (NPP), Young VIVIAN
Legal system
English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NPP 9, independents 11
National capital
Alofi
National holiday
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, 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
Debt-external
$NA
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $5.9 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Economy-overview
The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand and remittances as Niue has no indigenous export product. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand; the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue cut government expenditures in 1994-96 by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. A small tourist industry is developing.
Electricity-capacity
1,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
1,633 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
3 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January 1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993)
Exports
total value: $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
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$2.4 million (1993 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$1,200 (1993 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
NA%
Imports
total value: $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%, Samoa, Australia, US
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Inflation rate-consumer price index
5% (1992)
Labor force
total: 450 (1992 est.) by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)
Radios
1,000
Telephone system
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA
Telephones
276 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations
0 note: there is cable television
Televisions
312 (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Transportation
Airports
1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 234 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 234 km Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
Police Force
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none (territory of Australia)