Map of Niue | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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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
Country comparison total: 0 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 71.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 9.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0 m³ (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
Total: 2,000 (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 - or about 15 times as many persons of Niuean ancestry living in New Zealand as in Niue
Growth rate: -0.03% (2021 est.)

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 46% (official, 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

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

Death rate

Net migration rate

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

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

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

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

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

Education expenditures

Literacy

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 Mark GIBBS (since 5 March 2024)
Head of government: Prime Minister Dalton TAGELAGI; also referred to as premier (since 10 June 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a 3-year term; election last held on 8 May 2023 (next to be held in 2026)
Election results: Dalton TAGELAGI reelected prime minister; 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 2026)
Elections results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 20; composition - men 14, women 6, percentage women 30%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and up to 3 judges)
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
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

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: $18.7 million (2021 est.); $19.9 million (2020 est.); $20.9 million (2019 est.)

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita: $11,100 (2021 est.); $11,800 (2020 est.); $12,400 (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2009 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: taro, coconuts, fruits, sweet potatoes, tropical fruits, yams, vegetables, lemons/limes, bananas, pork (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

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: $5.68 million (2021 est.)
Partners: US 56%, Brazil 9%, UK 6%, Kuwait 4%, Australia 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: broadcasting equipment, abrasive powder, collector's items, coin, milling stones (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $43.8 million (2021 est.)
Partners: UK 46%, NZ 31%, Japan 19%, Brazil 1%, US 1% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: iron structures, ships, refined petroleum, plastic products, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

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 (2022 est.)
Consumption: 3 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 400,000 kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 58.2 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: (2019)


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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

Internet

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 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

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

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs