Niue

self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand

Niue as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 61 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAlofi

Area260 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1,908 people July 1991 · 2,019 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition -3.66% in 1993

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -0.3% in 2002

Geography

10 fields

Total area

260km2

land area: 260 km2Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

64 km Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Land use

arable land 61%;
permanent crops 4%;
meadows and pastures 4%;
forest and woodland 19%;
other 12%

Note

one of world's largest coral islands; located about 460 km east of Tonga

People

14 fields

Population

1,908

(July 1991), growth rate - 0.1% (1991)

Labor force

1,000

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

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian, with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans

Religion

Ekalesia Nieue (Niuean Church)--a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society 75%, Mormon 10%, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%

Language

Polynesian tongue closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English

Literacy

NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 14

Government

Self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand

15 fields

Niue Island Party (NIP), Young VIVIAN Legislative Assembly, 6 seats, elected 8 April 1990one dot, one seat

(20 total, 6 elected) independents 5NIP 1

Type

self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand;
Niue fully responsible for internal affairs;
New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs

Independence

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

National holiday

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)

Judicial branch

Appeal Court of New Zealand, High Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by New Zealand Representative John SPRINGFORD (since 1974);
Head of Government--Premier Sir Robert R. REX (since NA October 1974)

Suffrage

universal adult at age 18 Niue Island Party (NIP), Young VIVIAN Legislative Assembly--last held on 8 April 1990 (next to be held March 1993);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(20 total, 6 elected) independents 5, NIP 1

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag

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

Economy

The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

9.6%

(1984)

Budget

Revenues

$5.5 millionExpenditures

$6.3 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY85 est.)

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.

GNP

$2.1 million, per capita $1,000; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$175,274 (f.o.b., 1985);
commodities--canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts;
partners--NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

Imports

$3.8 million (c.i.f., 1985);
commodities--food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs;
partners--NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Western Samoa, Australia, US