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 an estimated 1,492 in 2007), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 1,492 note: based on data for 2000 and 2001, which indicate a declining population trend that is assumed to continue (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

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Population growth rate: -0.032% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: NA

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Death rate: NA

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Net migration rate: NA

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Sex ratio: NA

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Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA

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Total fertility rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean

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Ethnic groups: Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

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Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

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Languages: Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English

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Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA

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 emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about US$2 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $7.6 million (2000 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $10.01 million (2003)

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GDP - real growth rate: 6.2% (2003 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,800 (2003 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.5% industry: 26.9% services: 49.5% (2003)

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Labor force: 663 (2001)

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Labor force - by occupation: note: 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: 12% (2001)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2005)

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Budget: revenues: $15.07 million expenditures: $16.33 million; including capital expenditures of $123,700 (FY04/05)

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Agriculture - products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

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Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 3 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 2.79 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 20 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $201,400 (2004)

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Exports - commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

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Exports - partners: New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2006)

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Imports: $9.038 million (2004)

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Imports - commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs

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Imports - partners: New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2006)

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Debt - external: $418,000 (2002 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

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Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD)

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Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)

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Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March