2000 Edition

Background

Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to 2,100 in 2000) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.

Area

land

260 sq km

total

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

highest point

unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification 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%

forests and woodland

19%

other

50% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

8%

permanent pastures

4%

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

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

female

NA years

male

NA years

total population

NA years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

95%

Nationality

adjective

Niuean

noun

Niuean(s)

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,113 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.47% (2000 est.)

Religions

Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

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

Capital

Alofi

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993)

election results

Sani LAKATANI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA

elections

the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002)

head of government

Premier Sani LAKATANI (since 1 April 1999)

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, WMO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11

elections

last held 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002)

National holiday

Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)

Political parties and leaders

Niue People's Action Party or NPP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$8.3 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The economy is heavily dependent on aid and remittances from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand which are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures 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. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry.

Electricity - consumption

3 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

3 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January 2000), 1.8889 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995)

Exports

$117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)

Exports - commodities

canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners

NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.5 million (1994 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,250 (1994 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)

Imports - commodities

food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners

NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (1995)

Labor force

450 (1992 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

1,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

single-line telephone system connects all villages on island

international

NA

Telephones - main lines in use

376 (1991)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1991)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

NA

Airports

1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

0 km

total

234 km

unpaved

234 km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Military branches

Police Force

Disputes - international

none

NORFOLK ISLAND