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Background:
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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 2004), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km
to the southwest. |
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Location:
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Oceania, island in the South Pacific
Ocean, east of Tonga |
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Geographic coordinates:
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19 02 S, 169 52 W |
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Area:
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total: 260 sq
km
water: 0 sq km
land: 260 sq km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical; modified by southeast trade
winds |
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Terrain:
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steep limestone cliffs along coast,
central plateau |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
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Natural resources:
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fish, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land:
15.38%
permanent crops: 11.54%
other: 73.08% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons |
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Environment - current issues:
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increasing attention to conservationist
practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn
agriculture |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note:
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one of world's largest coral islands
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Population:
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2,156 (July 2004 est.) |
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans,
Samoans, and Tongans) |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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Niuean, a Polynesian language closely
related to Tongan and Samoan; English |
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Dependency status:
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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 |
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Government type:
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self-governing parliamentary democracy
|
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Capital:
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Alofi |
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Administrative divisions:
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none; note - there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14
villages at the second order |
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Independence:
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on 19 October 1974, Niue became a
self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
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National holiday:
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Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi
established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
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Constitution:
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19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
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Legal system:
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English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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most work on family plantations; paid work
exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development
Board |
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes,
taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
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Industries:
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tourism, handicrafts, food processing
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Exports - commodities:
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canned coconut cream, copra, honey,
vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs,
stamps, handicrafts |
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Exports - partners:
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New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands,
Australia (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food, live animals, manufactured goods,
machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs |
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Imports - partners:
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New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa,
Australia, US (2000) |
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Currency:
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New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,100 est (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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400 (2002) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Highways:
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total: 234 km
paved: 86 km
unpaved: 148 km (2001) |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; offshore anchorage only |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defence is the responsibility of New
Zealand |
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