GOVERNMENT
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 NA 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, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, 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
