ted by New Zealand High
Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993)
head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March
1993)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; premier elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23
February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI 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 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
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 (NPP), Young
VIVIAN

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO

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

@Niue:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New
Zealand and remittances as Niue has no indigenous export product.
Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall
made up by grants from New Zealand; the grants are used to pay wages
to public employees. Niue cut government expenditures in 1994-96 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 migration of Niueans to New Zealand. A small
tourist industry is developing.

GDP: purchasing power parity-