Niue (2001) | Faroe Islands (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 49 municipalities |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,149; female 5,110)
15-64 years: 64% (male 15,650; female 13,801) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,818; female 3,483) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | eight times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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 2,100 in 2000) with substantial emigration to New Zealand. | The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 13.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
Capital | Alofi | Torshavn |
Climate | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy |
Coastline | 64 km | 1,117 km |
Constitution | 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | Danish krone (DKK) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $64 million (1999) |
Dependency status | self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Disputes - international | none | Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
Economic aid - recipient | $8.3 million (1995) | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999) |
Economy - overview | 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. | The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Denmark and Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.8 million kWh (1999) | 153.45 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 3 million kWh (1999) | 165 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 39% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
Environment - current issues | increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
- |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans) | Scandinavian |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996) | Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997) |
Executive branch | 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) head of government: Premier Sani LAKATANI (since 1 April 1999) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002) election results: Sani LAKATANI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA% |
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held no later than April 2002) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, and Home Rule Party |
Exports | $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989) | $471 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Exports - commodities | canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) |
Exports - partners | NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia | Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $4.5 million (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,800 (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 02 S, 169 52 W | 62 00 N, 7 00 W |
Geography - note | one of world's largest coral islands | archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands |
Highways | total:
234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (106 km of which is access and plantation road) (2001) |
total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989) | $469 million c.i.f. (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) |
Imports - partners | NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US | Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999) |
Independence | on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 8% (1999 est.) |
Industries | tourism, handicrafts, food processing | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | 6.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (1995) | 5.1% (1999) |
International organization participation | ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO | NC, NIB |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue | none |
Labor force | 450 (1992 est.) | 24,250 (October 2000 ) |
Labor force - by occupation | most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 50% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
Legal system | English common law | Danish |
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 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11 |
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%, Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8% Independence Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Independence Party 1, Center Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.28 years female: 82.21 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
Military branches | Police Force | no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | Olaifest, 29 July |
Nationality | noun:
Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean |
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
Natural hazards | typhoons | NA |
Natural resources | fish, arable land | fish, whales, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Sani LAKATANI] | Center Party [Tordur NICALSEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; Independence Party [leader NA]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 2,124 (July 2001 est.) | 46,011 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.5% (2001 est.) | 0.74% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1,000 (1997) | 26,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | 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) | Evangelical Lutheran |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
primitive system domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA |
general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 376 (1991) | 24,851 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1991) | 10,761 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) |
Terrain | steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 1% (October 2000 ) |
Waterways | none | none |