Niue (2003) | French Polynesia (2002) | |
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 | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 45 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
Area | total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
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 about 2,100 in 2002), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996) |
Capital | Alofi | Papeete |
Climate | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 64 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island |
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $418,000 (2002 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | 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 | overseas territory of France since 1946 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) | $367 million (1997) (1997) |
Economy - overview | 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 was about $2.6 million. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.79 million kWh (2001) | 379.44 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 3 million kWh (2001) | 408 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 54%
hydro: 46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 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) | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.162 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
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 Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002) 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 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005) election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI) 30% |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | NA (2001) | $205 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Exports - commodities | canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
Exports - partners | NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000) | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) |
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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 55% |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -0.3% (2000 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 02 S, 169 52 W | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | one of world's largest coral islands | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Highways | total: 234 km
paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001) |
total: 792 km
paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $749 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment |
Imports - partners | NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000) | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) |
Independence | on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, handicrafts, food processing | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (1995) | 1.5% (1994) |
International organization participation | ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | NA | 70,000 (1996) (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.23%
permanent crops: 7.69% other: 73.08% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws |
based on French system |
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 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
total population: 75.23 years
male: 72.88 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | typhoons | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | fish, arable land | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA] | Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [Boris LEONTIEFF] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 2,145 (July 2003 est.) | 257,847 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.01% (2003 est.) | 1.67% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | - | 128,000 (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) | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | NA (2003 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: NA |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 376 (1991) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1991) | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
Waterways | none | none |