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NAVIGATION
Niue
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island |
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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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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI)30% elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005) head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers |
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Legislative branch:
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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)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
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Flag description:
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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
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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 will be about $2.6 million. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-0.3% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 55% |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (1995) (1995) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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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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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
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Industries:
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tourism, handicrafts, food processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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3 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.79 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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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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Exports:
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$137,200 (1999) |
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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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NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia |
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Imports:
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$2.38 million (1999) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs |
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Imports - partners:
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NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) |
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Currency:
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New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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Currency code:
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NZD |
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Exchange rates:
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New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |