factbook.json/australia-oceania/ne.json

{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "<p>Voyagers from Samoa first settled on Niue around A.D. 900, and a second main group of settlers came from Tonga around 1500. With only one reliable source of fresh water, conflict was high on the island. Samoan and Tongan customs heavily influenced Niuean culture, including the formation of an island-wide elected kingship system in the early 1700s. In 1774, British explorer James COOK landed on the island and named it Savage Island because of the Niueans' hostility. Missionaries arrived in 1830 but were also largely unsuccessful at staying on the island until 1846, when a Niuean trained as a Samoan missionary returned to the island and provided a space from which the missionaries could work. In addition to converting the population, the missionaries worked to stop the violent conflicts and helped establish the first parliament in 1849.</p> <p>Great Britain established a protectorate over Niue in 1900. The following year, Niue was annexed to New Zealand and included as part of the Cook Islands. Niue’s remoteness and cultural and linguistic differences with the Cook Islands led New Zealand to separate Niue into its own administration in 1904. The island became internally self-governing in 1974; it is an independent member of international organizations but is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized Niue as a sovereign and independent state.</p>"
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "19 02 S, 169 52 W"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Oceania"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total ": {
        "text": "260 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "260 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "0 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "1.5 times the size of Washington, DC"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "0 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "64 km"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "territorial sea": {
        "text": "12 nm"
      },
      "exclusive economic zone": {
        "text": "200 nm"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "tropical; modified by southeast trade winds"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "unnamed elevation 1.4 km east of Hikutavake 80 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Pacific Ocean 0 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "arable land, fish"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "19.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 3.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 11.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 3.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "71.2% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "9.7% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "0 sq km (2022)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "tropical cyclones"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "one of world's largest coral islands; the only major break in the surrounding coral reef occurs in the central western part of the coast"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2,000 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> because of the island's limited economic and educational opportunities, Niueans have emigrated for decades - primarily to New Zealand but also to Australia and other Pacific island states; Niue's population peaked in 1966 at 5,194, but by 2005 had fallen to 1,508; since then, it has rebounded slightly; as of 2013, 23,883 people of Niuean ancestry lived in New Zealand - with more than 20% Niue-born - or about 15 times as many persons of Niuean ancestry living in New Zealand as in Niue"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Niuean(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Niuean"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Niuean 65.4%, part-Niuean 14%, non-Niuean 20.6% (2017 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data represent the resident population"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "text": "Niuean 46% (official, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan), Niuean and English 32%, English (official) 11%, Niuean and others 5%, other 6% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Ekalesia Niue (Congregational Christian Church of Niue - a Protestant church founded by missionaries from the London Missionary Society) 61.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 8.7%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Jehovah's Witness 2.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.2%, none 8.9% (2017 est.)"
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "70.4"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "44.9"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "25.4"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "3.9 (2021)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "-0.03% (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "48.2% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "1,000 ALOFI (capital) (2018)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 97% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 3% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Current health expenditure": {
      "text": "7.8% of GDP (2020)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 95.5% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 4.5% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "50% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "4.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "1.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "2.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "tropical; modified by southeast trade winds"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "19.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 3.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 11.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 3.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "71.2% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "9.7% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "48.2% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Air pollutants": {
      "particulate matter emissions": {
        "text": "6.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "0 cubic meters (2017 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "none"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Niue"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "Savage Island"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the origin of the name is obscure; in Niuean, the word supposedly translates as \"behold the coconut\""
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee"
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary democracy"
    },
    "Dependency status": {
      "text": "self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue is 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"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Alofi"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "19 01 S, 169 55 W"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "English common law"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974)"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed by the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and approval by at least two-thirds majority votes in a referendum; passage of amendments to a number of sections, including Niue&rsquo;s self-governing status, British nationality and New Zealand citizenship, external affairs and defense, economic and administrative assistance by New Zealand, and amendment procedures, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and at least two thirds of votes in a referendum; amended 1992, 2007; note - in early 2021, the constitution review committee of the Assembly requested suggestions from the public about changes to the constitution"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Mark GIBBS (since 5 March 2024)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Dalton TAGELAGI; also referred to as premier (since 10 June 2020)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Cabinet chosen by the prime minister"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a 3-year term; election last held on 8 May 2023 (next to be held in 2026)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "Dalton TAGELAGI reelected prime minister; Legislative Assembly vote - Dalton TAGELAGI (independent) 16, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 4"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "legislature name": {
        "text": "Niue Assembly (Fono Ekepule)"
      },
      "legislative structure": {
        "text": "unicameral"
      },
      "number of seats": {
        "text": "20"
      },
      "electoral system": {
        "text": "plurality/majority"
      },
      "scope of elections": {
        "text": "full renewal"
      },
      "term in office": {
        "text": "3 years"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "29 April 2023"
      },
      "parties elected and seats per party": {
        "text": "independents (20)"
      },
      "percentage of women in chamber": {
        "text": "15%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "April 2026"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and up to 3 judges); note - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the final appeal court beyond the Niue Court of Appeal"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Niue chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the premier; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the chief justice and the minister of justice; judges serve until age 68"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "High Court"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Niue is a participant in the Pacific Judicial Development Program, which is designed to build governance and the rule of law in 15 Pacific island countries"
    },
    "Political parties": {
      "text": "none"
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "text": "none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "embassy": {
        "text": "none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Niue"
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "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 star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross; the larger star stands for Niue, the smaller stars recall the Southern Cross constellation on the New Zealand flag and symbolize links with that country; yellow represents the bright sunshine of Niue and the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "yellow, five-pointed star; national color: yellow"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Ko e Iki he Lagi\" (The Lord in Heaven)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> adopted 1974"
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "upper-middle-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; environmentally fragile; massive emigration; post-pandemic tourism rebound; postage stamps, small-scale agricultural processing, and subsistence farming; most recent Asian Development Bank member"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": {
        "text": "$18.7 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": {
        "text": "$19.9 million (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": {
        "text": "$20.9 million (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2021": {
        "text": "$11,100 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2020": {
        "text": "$11,800 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2019": {
        "text": "$12,400 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2009 dollars"
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "taro, coconuts, fruits, sweet potatoes, tropical fruits, yams, vegetables, lemons/limes, bananas, pork (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "handicrafts, food processing"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$5.68 million (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "US 56%, Brazil 9%, UK 6%, Kuwait 4%, Australia 4% (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "broadcasting equipment, abrasive powder, collector's items, coin, milling stones (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$43.8 million (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "UK 46%, NZ 31%, Japan 19%, Brazil 1%, US 1% (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "iron structures, ships, refined petroleum, plastic products, cars (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2023": {
        "text": "1.628 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2022": {
        "text": "1.577 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "1.414 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "1.542 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2019": {
        "text": "1.518 (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "3,000 kW (2022 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "3 million kWh (2022 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "400,000 kWh (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "100% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "58.2 bbl/day (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "1,000 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "52 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telecommunication systems": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "in 2020, the Manatua One Polynesia Fiber Cable provided Niue with high speed Internet access for the first time replacing a 4 megabit satellite link with gigabit fiber connectivity; the government set out a strategy to upgrade to a new infrastructure that would be robust enough to operate reliably in a challenging climate: 40 40&deg;C heat, 40% humidity, salty air, frequent power outages during storms, and no air conditioning (2022)"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "single-line (fixed line) telephone system connects all villages on island; fixed teledensity at nearly 52 per 100 (2021)"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 683; landing point for the Manatua submarine cable linking Niue to several South Pacific Ocean Islands; expansion of satellite services (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "1 government-owned TV station with many of the programs supplied by Television New Zealand; 1 government-owned radio station broadcasting in AM and FM (2019)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".nu"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "79.6% (2021 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "Airports": {
      "text": "1 (2024)"
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "234 km"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "210 km"
      },
      "unpaved": {
        "text": "24 km (2017)"
      }
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "70 (2023)"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "bulk carrier 5, container ship 2, general cargo 29, oil tanker 4, other 30"
      }
    },
    "Ports": {
      "total ports": {
        "text": "1 (2024)"
      },
      "large": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "medium": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "small": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "very small": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "ports with oil terminals": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "key ports": {
        "text": "Alofi"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "defense is the responsibility of New Zealand"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
  }
}