Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.nu

Internet users [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

376 (1991)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1991)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

NZD

Debt - external [time series]

$418,000 (2002 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

2.79 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

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

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

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

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-0.3% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

NA

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Oil - consumption [time series]

20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Coastline [time series]

64 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Geography - note [time series]

one of world's largest coral islands

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons

Natural resources [time series]

fish, arable land

Terrain [time series]

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Alofi

Constitution [time series]

19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Country name [time series]

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

Dependency status [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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)

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Age structure [time series]

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

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

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

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean

Net migration rate [time series]

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

Population [time series]

2,145 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.01% (2003 est.)

Religions [time series]

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)

Sex ratio [time series]

NA (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

none; offshore anchorage only

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none