Australia - Oceania :: Niue Print
Page last updated on December 18, 2019
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 star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross; the larger star stands for Niue, the smaller stars recall the Southern Cross constellation on the New Zealand flag and symbolize links with that country; yellow represents the bright sunshine of Niue and the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand
Dependency status
Introduction :: Niue
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the adjacent Cook Islands, has caused it to be separately administered by New Zealand. The population of the island has trended downwards over recent decades (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to 1,618 in 2017) with substantial emigration to New Zealand 2,400 km to the southwest.
Geography :: Niue
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
19 02 S, 169 52 W
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation 1.4 km east of Hikutavake 80 m
arable land, fish
arable land: 3.8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 11.5% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 3.8% (2011 est.)
other: 9.7% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island
increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
one of world's largest coral islands; the only major break in the surrounding coral reef occurs in the central western part of the coast
People and Society :: Niue
1,618 (July 2017 est.)
note: because of the island's limited economic and educational opportunities, Niueans have emigrated for decades - primarily to New Zealand, but also to Australia and other Pacific island states; Niue's population peaked in 1966 at 5,194, but by 2005 had fallen to 1,508; since then it has rebounded slightly; as of 2013, 23,883 people of Niuean ancestry lived in New Zealand - with more than 20% Niue-born; this means that there are about 15 times as many persons of Niuean living in New Zealand as in Niue, possibly the most eccentric population distribution in the world
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean
Niuean 66.5%, part-Niuean 13.4%, non-Niuean 20.1% (includes 12% European and Asian and 8% other Pacific Islanders) (2011 est.)
Niuean (official) 46% (a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan), Niuean and English 32%, English (official) 11%, Niuean and others 5%, other 6% (2011 est.)
Ekalesia Niue (Congregational Christian Church of Niue - a Protestant church founded by missionaries from the London Missionary Society) 67%, other Protestant 3% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 1%, Presbyterian 1%, and Methodist 1%), Mormon 10%, Roman Catholic 10%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 6%, none 2% (2011 est.)
-0.03% (2014 est.)
1,000 ALOFI (capital) (2018)
total: NA (2018)
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 100% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2015 est.)
total: 100% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Government :: Niue
conventional short form: Niue
former: Savage Island
etymology: the origin of the name is obscure; in Niuean, the word supposedly translates as "behold the coconut"
note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee
Dependency status: This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue is 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
parliamentary democracy
name: Alofi
geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order
19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
history: several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974)
amendments: proposed by the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and approval by the majority of votes in a referendum; passage of amendments to a number of sections, including Niue's self-governing status, British nationality and New Zealand citizenship, external affairs and defense, economic and administrative assistance by New Zealand, and amendment procedures, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and at least two thirds of votes in a referendum; amended 1992, 2007 (2017)
English common law
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Patricia Lee REDDY (since 28 September 2016); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Kirk YATES (since May 2018)
head of government: Premier Sir Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the premier
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; premier indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a 3-year term; election last held on 12 May 2017 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: Toke TALAGI reelected premier; Legislative Assembly vote - Toke TALAGI (independent) 15, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 5
description: unicameral Assembly or Fono Ekepule (20 seats; 14 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 6 directly elected from the National Register or "common roll" by majority vote; members serve 3-year terms)
elections: last held on 6 May 2017 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 15, women 5, percent of women 25%
highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and up to 3 judges); note - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the final appeal court beyond the Niue Court of Appeal
judge selection and term of office: Niue chief justice appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the premier; other judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the chief justice and the minister of justice; judges serve until age 68
subordinate courts: High Court
note: Niue is a participant in the Pacific Judicial Development Program, which is designed to build governance and the rule of law in 15 Pacific island countries
Alliance of Independents or AI
Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]
ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
yellow, five-pointed star; national color: yellow
name: "Ko e Iki he Lagi" (The Lord in Heaven)
lyrics/music: unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA
Economy :: Niue
The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories for processing passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue.
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. Economic aid allocation from New Zealand in FY13/14 was US$10.1 million. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half.
The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and financial services, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses.
$10.01 million (2003 est.)
$10.01 million (2003) (2003)
agriculture: 23.5% (2003)
industry: 26.9% (2003)
services: 49.5% (2003)
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
handicrafts, food processing
note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
revenues: 15.07 million (FY04/05)
expenditures: 16.33 million (FY04/05)
-12.6% (of GDP) (FY04/05)
4% (2005)
$201,400 (2004 est.)
canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
$9.038 million (2004 est.)
food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
Energy :: Niue
3 million kWh (2016 est.)
2.79 million kWh (2016 est.)
2,300 kW (2016 est.)
50 bbl/day (2016 est.)
7,252 Mt (2017 est.)
Communications :: Niue
general assessment: sole provider services for over 1000 landlines and fixed wireless lines; cellular telephone service operates on AMPS and GSM platforms; difficult geography presents challenges for rural areas (2018)
domestic: single-line (fixed line) telephone system connects all villages (and virtually all households) on island (2018)
international: country code - 683; landing point for the Manatua submarine cable linking Niue to several South Pacific Ocean Islands (2019)
1 government-owned TV station with many of the programs supplied by Television New Zealand; 1 government-owned radio station broadcasting in AM and FM (2019)
Military and Security :: Niue
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force (2019)
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transportation :: Niue
unpaved: 24 km
major seaport(s): Alofi
Transnational Issues :: Niue