from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Niue
Introduction
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 2,166 in 2006), with substantial emigration to
New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Tonga
Geographic 19 02 S, 169 52 W
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement
68 m
Natural fish, arable land
resources:
Land use: arable land: 11.54%
permanent crops: 15.38%
other: 73.08% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural typhoons
hazards:
Environment - increasing attention to conservationist practices to
current counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash
issues: and burn agriculture
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
agreements: signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - one of world's largest coral islands
note:
People
Population: 2,166 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Population 0.01% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
rate:
Sex ratio: NA
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA
expectancy at male: NA
birth: female: NA
Total NA
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%,
mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)
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)
Languages: Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan
and Samoan; English
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA
female: NA
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
former: Savage Island
Dependency self-governing in free association with New Zealand
status: 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
Government self-governing parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: name: Alofi
geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
Administrative none; note - there are no first-order administrative
divisions: divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 14 villages at the second order
Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing
parliamentary government in free association with New
Zealand
National Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
holiday: sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system: English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with
the power to make its own laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952), represented by Governor General of New Zealand
Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New
Zealand are represented by New Zealand High
Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three
ministers
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)
election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN
(NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 15%
Legislative unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members
branch: elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; 6
elected from a common roll and 14 are village
representatives)
elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held
April 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NA
Judicial Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
branch:
Political Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action
parties and Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]
leaders:
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU,
organization WHO, WMO
participation:
Diplomatic none (self-governing territory in free association with
representation New Zealand)
in the US:
Diplomatic none (self-governing territory in free association with
representation New Zealand)
from the US:
Flag yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: 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
Economy - The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island
overview: 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 emigration to New Zealand.
Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of
tourism and a financial services industry, although the
International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in
the termination of all offshore banking licenses.
Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about US$2
million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in January
2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While
in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent
on foreign aid.
GDP $7.6 million (2000 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $10.01 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 6.2%
growth rate:
GDP - per $5,800 (2003 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 23.5%
composition by industry: 26.9%
sector: services: 49.5% (2003)
Labor force: NA 663
Labor force - note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists
by occupation: only in government service, small industry, and the
Niue Development Board
Unemployment 12% NA%
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 4% (2005)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $15.07 million
expenditures: $16.33 million; including capital
expenditures of $123,700
Agriculture - coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams,
products: cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef
cattle
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 3 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 2.79 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 20 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $201,400 (2004)
Exports - canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion
commodities: fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs,
stamps, handicrafts
Exports - New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
partners: (2004)
Imports: $9.038 million (2004)
Imports - food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery,
commodities: fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports - New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US
partners: (2004)
Debt - $418,000 (2002 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)
recipient:
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD)
(code):
Currency code: NZD
Exchange New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),
rates: 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 1,100 est (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 400 (2002)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone domestic: single-line telephone system connects all
system: villages on island
international: country code - 683
Radio AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 1,000 (1997)
Television 1 (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .nu
country code:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 900 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 234 km
paved: 86 km
unpaved: 148 km (2001)
Ports and none; offshore anchorage only
terminals:
Military
Military no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
branches:
Military - defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: