Niue Government Profile 2003

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
former: Savage Island

Dependency status

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue 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

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 at the second order

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
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

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 Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
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 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI) 30%

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 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders

Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

International organization participation

ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Flag description

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