lative Assembly

Judicial branch: Appeal Court of New Zealand, High Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented
by New Zealand Representative John SPRINGFORD (since 1974);

Head of Government--Premier Sir Robert R. REX (since NA October
1974)

Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party,
leader NA

Elections:
Legislative Assembly--last held on 28 March 1987 (next to be
held NA 1990);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(20 total, 6 elected) independents 5, Niue People's Action Party 1

Member of: ESCAP (associate member), SPF

Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing territory in free
association with New Zealand)

Flag: 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

- Economy
Overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New
Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the
shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand--the grants are used to pay
wages to the 80% or more of the work force employed in public service.
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.

GNP: $2.1 million, per capita $1,000; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6% (1984)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $5.5 million; expenditures $6.3 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (FY85 est.)

Exports: $175,274 (f.o.b., 1985); commodities--canned coconut cream,
copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs,
stamps, handicrafts; partners--NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

Imports: $3.8 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities--food, live
animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs;
partners--NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Western Samoa, Australia, US

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 1,500 kW capacity; 3 million kWh pro