BackgroundNiue'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 pk of 5,200 in 1966 to an estimated 1,444 in 2008), with substantial emigration to New Zland, 2,400 km to the southwest.
GeographyOne of world's largest coral islands.Loion:Ocnia, island in the South Pacific Ocn, st of TongaGeographic coordinates:19 02 S, 169 52 WAr:total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq kmSize comparison: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:0 kmCoastline:64 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmClimate:tropical; modified by southst trade windsTerrain:steep limestone cliffs along coast, central platuElevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocn 0 m
highest point: unnamed loion nr Mutalau settlement 68 mNatural resources:fish, arable landLand use:arable land: 11.54%
permanent crops: 15.38%
other: 73.08% (2005)Irrigated land:NANatural hazards:typhoonsCurrent Environment Issues:incrsing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and agricultureInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Law of the S
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:1,444 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: NA
15-64 yrs: NA
65 yrs and over: NAMedian age:
Population growth rate:-0.032% (2008 est.)Birth rate:NA (2008 est.)Dth rate:NA (2008 est.)Net migration rate:NA (2008 est.)Sex ratio:NAInfant mortality rate:total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:NA (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NAHIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NAHIV/AIDS - dths:NANationality:noun: Niun(s)
adjective: NiunEthnic groups:Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, Europn 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)Religions:Ekalesia Niue (Niun Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman holic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)Languages:Niun, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; EnglishLiteracy:definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA
female: NA
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
note: pronounciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee
former: Savage IslandGovernment type:self-governing parliamentary democracyCapital: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 orderIndependence:on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New ZlandNational holiday:Waitangi Day (Trty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zland), 6 February (1840)Constitution:19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)Legal system:English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own lawsSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor eral of New Zland Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zland are represented by New Zland High Commissioner John BRYAN (since May 2000)
hd of government: Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-yr term; election last held 18 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: Toke TALAGI defts incumbent Young VIVIAN in Legislative Assembly vote; Toke TALAGI - 14, Young VIVIAN - 5Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 sts; members elected by popular vote to serve three-yr terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)
elections: last held 7 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; sts by party - 20 independentsJudicial branch:Supreme Court of New Zland; High Court of NiuePolitical parties and lders:Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]Political pressure groups and lders:NAInternational organization participation:ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMODiplomatic representation in the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zland)Diplomatic representation from the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zland)
EconomyThe 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 Zland 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 crm. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent yrs has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zland. Efforts to incrse GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the International Banking Repl Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking s. Economic aid from New Zland in 2002 was US$2.6 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):$7.6 million (2000 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$10.01 million (2003)GDP - rl growth rate:6.2% (2003 est.)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 BoardUnemployment 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):4% (2005)Budget:revenues: $15.07 million
expenditures: $16.33 million (FY0405)Agriculture - products:
Industries:tourism, handicrafts, food processingIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:4 million kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - consumption:3.72 million kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - consumption:20 bbl/day (2006 est.)Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2005)Oil - imports:26.57 bbl/day (2005)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)Exports:$201,400 (2004)Exports - commodities:canned coconut crm, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicraftsImports:$9.038 million (2004)Imports - commodities:food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugsDebt - external:$418,000 (2002 est.)Currency ():New Zland dollar (NZD)Exchange rates:New Zland dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)Fiscal yr:1 April - 31 March
CommuniionsTele in use:1,100 (2002 est.)Cellular in use:400 (2002)Telephone system:domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: country - 683 (2001)Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)Internet country :.nuInternet hosts:382,599 (2008)Internet users:900 (2002)
TransportationAirports:1 (2007)Airports (paved runways):total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)Roadways:total: 120 km
paved: 120 km (2008)Ports and terminals:none; offshore anchorage only
MilitaryDefense is the responsibility of New ZlandMilitary branches:no regular indious military forces; Police Force
No comments:
Post a Comment