Statistical information Niue 1999

Niue in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 2000 in 1999) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map reference:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 260 km²
Land: 260 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land useArable land: 19%
Permanent crops: 8%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 50% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: typhoons
GeographyNote: one of world's largest coral islands
top of pagePopulation: 2,103 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Niuean(s)
Adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%_a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: NA deaths/1000 live births
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: NA
Total population: 95%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Niue
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Alofi
Administrative divisions: none; note_there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms
Dependent areasIndependence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system: English common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993)
Head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March 1993)
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 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
Election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote_NA
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)
Elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NPP 9, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
From the us: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid and remittances from New Zealand as Niue has no indigenous export products. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand which 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,200 (1993 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%
Agriculture products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 450 (1992 est.)
Note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $5.5 million
Expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1985 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April_31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
Partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1: 1.8560 (January 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 3 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 3 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaNiue - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 276 (1992 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
International: NA
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsNiue - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 1 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalsNiue - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs