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| Geography |
| One of world's largest coral islands |
| Location: | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga |
| Geographic coordinates: | 19 02 S, 169 52 W |
| Area: | total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 64 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds |
| Terrain: | steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed elevation near Mutalau settlement 68 m |
| Natural resources: | fish, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 11.54% permanent crops: 15.38% other: 73.08% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | typhoons |
| Current Environment Issues: | increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection |
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| People |
| Population: | 1,311 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | |
| Population growth rate: | -0.032% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | NA |
| Death rate: | NA |
| Net migration rate: | NA |
| Sex ratio: | NA |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Total fertility rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean |
| Ethnic groups: | Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census) |
| Religions: | 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) |
| Languages: | English (official), Niuean (a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan) |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA |
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| Government |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee former: Savage Island |
| Government type: | self-governing parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | name: Alofi geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order |
| Independence: | 19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand) |
| National holiday: | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
| 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 (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Mark BLUMSKY (since September 2011) head of government: Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and 3 ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held on 16 May 2011 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Toke TALAGI reelected premier in Legislative Assembly vote; Toke TALAGI - 11, Togia SIONEHOLO - 8 |
| 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 on 7 May 2011 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 20 independents |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue |
| Political parties and leaders: | Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
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| Economy |
| 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 emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and financial services, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in FY08/09 was US$5.7 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $10.01 million (2003 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $10.01 million (2003) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 6.2% (2003 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,800 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 23.5% industry: 26.9% services: 49.5% (2003) |
| Labor force: | 663 (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board |
| Unemployment rate: | 12% (2001) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2005) |
| Budget: | revenues: $15.07 million expenditures: $16.33 million (FY04/05) |
| Agriculture - products: | coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle |
| Industries: | handicrafts, food processing |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 3 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 2.79 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 40 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 33 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $201,400 (2004) |
| Exports - commodities: | canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts |
| Imports: | $9.038 million (2004) |
| Imports - commodities: | food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs |
| Debt - external: | $418,000 (2002 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3874 (2010) 1.6002 (2009) 1.4151 (2008) 1.3811 (2007) 1.5408 (2006) |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 1,200 (2010) country comparison to the world: 226 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 600 (2004) |
| Telephone system: | domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: country code - 683 (2001) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .nu |
| Internet hosts: | 397,270 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 1,100 (2009) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 227 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 120 km paved: 120 km (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Alofi |
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| Military |
| Defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
| Military branches: | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force |
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