Most obscure country - 3 way playoff

[Happy Skunk]

Arguable whether tuva is a country, but the Judges have allowed it. Plus they have the throat singers.

Niue

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 about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that 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, although former Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating hurricane in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

Tokelau

Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tuva

The Republic of Tuva (Tyva) is situated in the very centre of the Asian continent, between latitudes 49'45" and 53'45" North and in longitudes 88'49" and 98'56" East. It lies within the limits of the Altai-Sayan mountain system. To the south it borders on Mongolia. The territory of the republic is just over 170,000 square kms. The population is slightly over 300,000. The indigenous and predominant nationality (more than 70 %) is Tuvan, who speak a Turkic language. The capital of Tuva is the city of Kyzyl, which has a population of 100,000. Until the beginning of the twentieth century Tuva had always been under control of neighbouring powers. In 1921 it became an independent state - the Tuvan Peoples' Republic. Soon after it adopted its own national symbol, flag, army and currency (the aksha) and began producing its beautiful postage stamps, which are a firm favourite with philatelists. In 1944 Tuva joined the USSR as an autonomous region. Today Tuva is a republic within the Russian Federation. - from Dina Oiun