ocaine intended for European, East
Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe
haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major
money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity;
Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting
in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's)
Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006;
Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by
FATF

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Niue

Introduction
Niue

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 an estimated 1,444 in 2008), with substantial emigration to
New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography
Niue

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

64 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:

fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 11.54%
permanent crops: 15.38%
other: 73.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of
soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

one of world's largest coral islands

People
Niue

Population:

1,444 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years