ARCHIVE // NU // 2005

Niue

2005 Edition — territory

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Communications
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: country code - 683
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
1,100 est (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
400 (2002)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (1997)
Economy
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
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
New Zealand dollar (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 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 [time series]
2.79 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production [time series]
3 million kWh (2002)
Exchange rates [time series]
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)
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]
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 April - 31 March
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$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]
New Zealand 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
Oil - imports [time series]
NA
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 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
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 15.38% permanent crops: 11.54% other: 73.08% (2001)
Location [time series]
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
typhoons
Natural resources [time series]
fish, arable land
Terrain [time series]
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Government
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) 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%
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, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, 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) elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
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
Introduction
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 2,150 in 2005), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.
Military
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
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate [time series]
NA births/1,000 population
Death rate [time series]
NA deaths/1,000 population
Ethnic groups [time series]
Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)
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 male: NA female: NA
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
Population [time series]
2,166 (July 2005 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0% (2005 est.)
Religions [time series]
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 [time series]
NA
Total fertility rate [time series]
NA
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
none; offshore anchorage only