r-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%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue

Data code: NE

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, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of
Waitangi established British sovereignty)

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
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 monarch is hereditary; 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 or NPP

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate),
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, S