Edition 2003 — Niue — World Factbook

Administrative divisions

none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order

Age structure

0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) Military Niue

Area

land: 260 sq km
total: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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 about 2,100 in 2002), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. Geography Niue

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $NA

Capital

Alofi

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Coastline

64 km

Constitution

19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
former: Savage Island

Currency

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code

NZD

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$418,000 (2002 est.)

Dependency status

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue

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)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Economy - overview

The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that 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, although Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million.

Electricity - consumption

2.79 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

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

Ethnic groups

Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998)

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 John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI) 30%
elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)

Exports

$137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Niue

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 Economy Niue

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: 55%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.3% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Geography - note

one of world's largest coral islands People Niue

Government type

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Highways

paved: 86 km
total: 234 km
unpaved: 148 km (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Independence

on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Infant mortality rate

female: NA%
male: NA%
total: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (1995)

International organization participation

ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Internet country code

.nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Niue

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 19.23%
other: 73.08% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 7.69%

Languages

Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English

Legal system

English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

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; note - all 20 seats were reelected
elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female: NA years (2003 est.)
male: NA years
total population: NA years

Literacy

definition: NA
female: NA% Government Niue
male: NA%
total population: 95%

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

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand Transnational Issues Niue

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

National holiday

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

Nationality

adjective: Niuean
noun: Niuean(s)

Natural hazards

typhoons

Natural resources

fish, arable land

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

2,145 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.01% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

1,000 (1997)

Railways