Map of Niue | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Voyagers from Samoa first settled on Niue around A.D. 900 and a second main group of settlers came from Tonga around 1500. With only one reliable source of fresh water, conflict was high on the island. There was continued contact with both Samoa and Tonga, and customs from those islands heavily influenced Niuean culture, including the formation of an island-wide kingship system in the early 1700s. These kings, or patu-iki, were elected by Niueans. In 1774, British explorer James COOK abandoned attempts to land on the island after several unsuccessful tries, and he named it Savage Island because of the warlike appearance of the Niueans. Missionaries arrived in 1830 but were also largely unsuccessful at staying on the island until 1846, when a Niuean trained as a Samoan missionary returned to the island and provided a space from which the missionaries could work. In addition to converting the population, the missionaries worked to stop the violent conflicts between Niueans and helped establish the first parliament in 1849.


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Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 260 km²
Land: 260 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation
Highest point: unnamed elevation 1.4 km east of Hikutavake 80 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 19.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 3.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 11.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 3.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 71.2% (2018 est.)
Other: 9.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones

Geography
Note: 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


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Population
Distribution: population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island: 2,000 (July 2022 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 ancestry living in New Zealand as in Niue, possibly the most eccentric population distribution in the world
Growth rate: -0.03% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Niuean(s)
Adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups: Niuean 65.4%, part-Niuean 14%, non-Niuean 20.6% (2017 est.)
Note: data represent the resident population

Languages: 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.)

Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Congregational Christian Church of Niue - a Protestant church founded by missionaries from the London Missionary Society) 61.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 8.7%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Jehovah's Witness 2.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.2%, none 8.9% (2017 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 70.4
Youth dependency ratio: 44.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 25.4
Potential support ratio: 3.9 (2021)

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.03% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: NA

Death rate: (2021 est.) NA

Net migration rate: (2021 est.)

Population distribution: population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island

Urbanization
Urban population: 48.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1,000 ALOFI (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 6.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Sex ratio: NA

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Total fertility rate: (2021 est.) NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 97% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 3% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: NA

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 50% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 8.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
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

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Alofi
Geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W
Time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution
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 at least two-thirds majority 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; note - in early 2021, the constitution review committee of the Assembly requested suggestions from the public about changes to the constitution

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Helen TUNNAH (since July 2020)
Head of government: Premier Dalton TAGELAGI (since 10 June 2020)
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 8 May 2023 (next to be held in 2,026)
Election results: Dalton TAGELAGI reelected premier; Legislative Assembly vote - Dalton TAGELAGI (independent) 16, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 4

Legislative branch
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 29 April 2023 (next to be held in 2,026)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 17, women 3, percent of women 15%

Judicial branch
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

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
From the us embassy: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
From the us note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Niue

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 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

National symbols: yellow, five-pointed star; national color: yellow

National anthem
Name: "Ko e Iki he Lagi" (The Lord in Heaven)
Lyrics/music: unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA
Note: adopted 1974

National heritage


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Economy overview: upper-middle-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; environmentally fragile; massive emigration; post-pandemic tourism rebound; postage stamps, small-scale agricultural processing, and subsistence farming; most recent Asian Development Bank member

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

Real gdp growth rate: 6.2% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2009 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23.5% (2003)
Industry: 26.9% (2003)
Services: 49.5% (2003)

Agriculture products: coconuts, taro, fruit, sweet potatoes, tropical fruit, yams, vegetables, lemons, limes, bananas

Industries: handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 663 (2001)

Unemployment rate: 12% (2001)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $15.07 million (FY04/05)
Expenditures: $16.33 million (FY04/05)
Surplus  or deficit: -12.6% (of GDP) (FY04/05)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2005)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports:
Partners: Indonesia 57%, Thailand 7%, South Korea 5%, Czechia 4%, Poland 4% (2021)
Commodities: tanker ships, collector's items, commemorative coins, fruits, nuts, juice, electrical resistors (2021)

Imports:
Partners: New Zealand 41%, United Kingdom 40%, Japan 15%, Israel 3%, Fiji 1% (2021)
Commodities: floating platforms, tugboats, refined petroleum, cargo ships, cars, plasticware (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $418,000 (2002 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 3,000 kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 2.6 million kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 400,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 54 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 0 Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 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)

Internet
Country code: .nu
Users total: 1,512 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 79.6% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2021)
With paved runways: 1
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 234 km (2017)
Paved: 210 km (2017)
Unpaved: 24 km

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 71 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 2, general cargo 29, oil tanker 4, other 32

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Alofi


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Disputes international: none identified

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs