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 2000 in 1996) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.

Area
Total: 260 km²
Land: 260 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain: Steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

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

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 61%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 12%

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Niuean(s)
Adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English

Religions:

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

Birth rate: NA

Death rate: NA

Net migration rate: NA Infant Mortality Rate:NA

Environment
Current issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which naturally are not very abundant
Current issues Natural hazards: typhoons
International agreements: signed, but not ratified_Law of the Sea
International agreements note: One of world's largest coral islands

Life expectancy at birth: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Niue

Government type: Self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs

Capital: Alofi

Administrative divisions: None

Independence: 19 October 1974 (became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand on 19 October 1974)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the UK since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch; the queen and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993)
Head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (acting premier since NA December 1992, premier since 12 March 1993) was reelected by the Legislative Assembly; election last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
Cabinet: Cabinet; consists of the premier and three other ministers

Legislative branch: Unicameral Legislative Assembly:Elections last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999; results_percent of vote NA; seats_(20 total, 6 elected) NPP 9, independents 11

Judicial branch: Appeal Court of New Zealand, High Court

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO

Flag description: Yellow with the flag of the U.K. in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the U.K. 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 overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand_the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. 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 growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $1,200 (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: Coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes; subsistence crops_taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

Labor force: 1000 (1981 est.)
Note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget
Revenues: $5.5 million
Expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Exports: total value. $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: NA

Electricity
Capacity: 1,500 kW
Production: 2.7 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,490 kWh (1992)

Telephone system: 276 telephones (1992 est.)
Local: NA
Intercity: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
International: NA

Airports: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1

Merchant marine: None