2005 Edition

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

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) 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 2,150 in 2005), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. Geography Niue

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Budget

expenditures

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 (code)

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code

NZD

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

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 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

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 former 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. Niue suffered a devastating hurricane in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

Electricity - consumption

2.79 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

3 million kWh (2002)

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

Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

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 reelected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 15%

elections

the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12 May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)

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

New Zealand 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 - 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.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$7.6 million (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

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

New Zealand 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, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Internet country code

.nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Niue

Irrigated land

NA

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

15.38%

other

73.08% (2001)

permanent crops

11.54%

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 - NA

elections

last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

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

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

Oil - consumption

20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

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

2,166 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

0% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

1,000 (1997)

Religions

Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

single-line telephone system connects all villages on island

international

country code - 683

Telephones - main lines in use

1,100 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

400 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

NA

Terrain

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Total fertility rate

NA

Unemployment rate

NA