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-$2.4 million (1993 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,200 (1993 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5% (1992)
Labor force:
total: 450 (1992 est.)
by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only
in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $5.5 million
expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1985 est.)
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 1,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 3 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,633 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro,
yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Exports:
total value: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit
products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports:
total value: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
lubricants, chemicals, drugs
partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $5.9 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January
1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994),
1.8495 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 276 (1992 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)
Radios: 1,000
Television broadcast stations: 0
note: there is cable television
Televisions: 312 (1991 est.)
@Niue:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 234 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 234 km
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Niue:Military
Military branches: Police Force
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
@Niue:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORFOLK ISLAND
(territory of Australia)
@Norfolk Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Australia
Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
@Norfolk Island:People
Population: 2,179 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.69% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
Zealander, Polynesians
Religions: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in
Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%,
other 2.4% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
@Norfolk Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Data code: NF
Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers
Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department
of Environment, Sport and Territories
Government type: NA
National capital: Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine
(commercial center)
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
Australian or Norfolk Island law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952);
the queen and Australia are represented by Administrator A.J. MESSNER
(since NA)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister David
Earnest BUFFETT (since NA 1995)
cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
acts as an advisor to the Administrator
elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election
last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results: David Earnest BUFFETT elected chief minister;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes
can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the
slightly wider white band
@Norfolk Island:Economy
Economy-overview: The primary economic activity is tourism, which has
brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific
islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years
and reached 28,000 in FY92/93. Revenues from tourism have helped the
agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of
beef, poultry, and eggs.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 1,395 (1991 est.)
by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)
Industries: tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed,
cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports:
total value: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)
commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports:
total value: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)
commodities: NA
partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January
1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994),
1.4704 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 1,500 (1995 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
@Norfolk Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
(commonwealth in political union with the US)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area-comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and
fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons
(especially August to November)
Environment-current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may
contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered
species conflicts with development
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
@Northern Mariana Islands:People
Population: 66,561 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 8,110; female 7,869)
15-64 years: 74% (male 23,847; female 25,659)
65 years and over: 2% (male 518; female 558) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 21.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.82 years
male: 72.76 years
female: 79.08 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians,
Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional
beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
Data code: CQ
Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US;
federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of
the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected
governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
National capital: Saipan
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages,
immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998)
and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November
1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern
Mariana Islands in three-way race; percent of vote-Pedro P. TENORIO
(Republican) 47%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA
November 1999); House of Representatives-last held NA November 1997
(next to be held NA November 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of
Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
(Republicans retained a majority of the seats)
note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress;
instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative"
located in Washington, DC; seats by party-Republican 1 (Juan N.
BABAUTA)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal
District Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL,
leader; Democratic Party, chairman (currently vacant)
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), SPC
Flag description: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on
the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone
used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
@Northern Mariana Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial
assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally
generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years
1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital
development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992,
funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth
received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97
through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for
infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief
source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50%
of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural
sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and
small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons.
Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of
12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $800 million to the US
in 1997 under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$524 million (1994 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,500 (1994 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
total: 7,476 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 22,560
foreign workers (1995)
by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)
Budget:
revenues: $190.4 million
expenditures: $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1
million (FY94/95)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: NA
commodities: garments
partners: NA
Imports: NA
commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum
products
partners: US, Japan
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
note: there is 1 cable TV station
Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 362 km (1991 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Northern Mariana Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORWAY
@Norway:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,515 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413
km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093
km)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel,
iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging
forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air
pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off
its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes
and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest
coastlines in world; Norway only NATO member having a land boundary
with Russia
@Norway:People
Population: 4,419,955 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 444,373; female 420,940)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,454,733; female 1,407,395)
65 years and over: 15% (male 288,056; female 404,458) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.17 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.23 years
male: 75.42 years
female: 81.21 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant
and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official)
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1976 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Norway:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Oslo