5%, Latter-Day
Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English

Literacy: definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Niue Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Niue

former: Savage Island

Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New
Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
retains responsibility for external affairs

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital: Alofi

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

Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing
parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established
British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system: English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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%

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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party or NPP
[Sani LAKATANI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, ESCAP (associate),
F