chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government;
Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was appointed by
the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the
president
note: President Ibrahim BARE was assassinated on 9 April 1999;
subsequent elections held under the nine-month provisional government
of Major Daouda Mallam WANKE
cabinet: 24-member cabinet appointed by President TANDJA
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Mamadou TANDJA elected president; percent of vote -
Mamadou TANDJA 60%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members
elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8,
ANDPS-Zaman Lahia 4
Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour
d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a
or RDP-Jama'a ; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama
or CDS-Rahama ; Movement for Development and
Progress-Alkwali or MDP-Alkwali ; National
Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Tandja
MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic
Renewal or UNIRD ; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and
Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou
DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Democratic Front-Mutunci or FDN-Mutunci [Ide
OUMAROU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or
PNDS-Tarayya ; Nigerien Social Democrat
Party-Alheri or PSDN-Alheri ; Party for People's
Dignity-Daraja or PDP-Daraja ; Union of
Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua
; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress-Amana or UDPS-Amana ; Union of Popular
Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba or UFPDP-Sawaba [Djibo
BAKARY]; Workers' Movement Party-Albarka or PMT-Albarka [Omar Idi
ANGO]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB,
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 483-4224 through 4227
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbro OWENS-KIRKPATRICK
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone: 72 26 61 through 72 26 64
FAX: 73 31 67
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white,
and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
wheel centered in the white band
@Niger:Economy
Economy - overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation,
whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry,
reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export
since the 1970s. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in
January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the
products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on
bilateral and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the
April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment.
Short-term prospects depend on upcoming negotiations with the World
Bank and the IMF on debt relief and extended aid.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.6 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 18%
services: 42% (1998)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.3% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (1999)
Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce
6%, government 4%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $377 million, including $146 million from foreign sources
expenditures: $377 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1999 est.)
Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 180 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 363 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 196 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum,
cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys,
horses, poultry
Exports: $269 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas,
onions (1998 est.)
Exports - partners: US, Greece, Japan, France, Nigeria, Benin
Imports: $295 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery,
vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners: France, Cote d'Ivoire, US, Benelux, Nigeria
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $222 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1
- 670 (January 2000), 560.01 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67
(1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate
of 655.957 CFA francs per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Niger:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 13,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: small system of wire, radiotelephone communications,
and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area
domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (plus seven low-power repeaters)
(1997)
Televisions: 125,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Niger:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 10,100 km
paved: 798 km
unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: the Niger is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the
Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 27 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
@Niger:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican
Guard, National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,137,181 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,155,054 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 105,884 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY96)
@Niger:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern
Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of
Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has
been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and
______________________________________________________________________
NIUE
@Niue:Introduction
Background: Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The
population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in
1966 to 2,100 in 2000) with substantial emigration to New Zealand.
@Niue:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 50% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist
practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and
burn agriculture
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands
@Niue:People
Population: 2,113 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.47% (2000 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 years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and
Tongans)
Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-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%
@Niue: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 Sani LAKATANI (since 1 April 1999)
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 19
March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: Sani LAKATANI 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 19 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2002)
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, 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
@Niue:Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid and
remittances from New Zealand. Government expenditures regularly exceed
revenues, and the shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand
which are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut
government expenditures 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. Efforts to increase GDP include the
promotion of tourism and a financial services industry.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.5 million (1994 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,250 (1994 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1995)
Labor force: 450 (1992 est.)
Labor force - 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: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 3 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 3 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro,
yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Exports: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
Exports - commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion
fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps,
handicrafts
Exports - partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Imports - commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods,
machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports - partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $8.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January
2000), 1.8889 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996),
1.5235 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Niue:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 376 (1991)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1991)
Telephone system:
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@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 (1999 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Niue:Military
Military branches: Police Force
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
@Niue:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORFOLK ISLAND
@Norfolk Island:Introduction
Background: Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal
colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the
island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty
mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
@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: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment - current issues: NA
@Norfolk Island:People
Population: 1,892 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.68% (2000 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 years
male: NA years
female: NA years
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
Capital: Kingston
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 (since 6 February 1952); the UK and
Australia are represented by Administrator A. J. MESSNER (since 4
August 1997)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister George
Charles SMITH (since 30 April 1997)
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 monarch is hereditary; 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 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000)
election results: George Charles SMITH 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 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000)
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: Tourism, the primary economic activity, has
steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of
prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The
agricultural sector has 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%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 1,395 (1991 est.)
Labor force - 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 - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed,
cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)
Exports - commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island
pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe
Imports: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)
Imports - commodities: NA
Imports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January
2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996),
1.3486 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Norfolk Island:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,087 (1983)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1983)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2,500 (1996)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station plus two
repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)
Televisions: 1,200 (1996)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@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 (1999 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia