Map of Niue | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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. Samoan and Tongan customs heavily influenced Niuean culture, including the formation of an island-wide elected kingship system in the early 1700s. In 1774, British explorer James COOK landed on the island and named it Savage Island because of the Niueans' hostility. 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 and helped establish the first parliament in 1849. Great Britain established a protectorate over Niue in 1900. The following year, Niue was annexed to New Zealand and included as part of the Cook Islands. Niue’s remoteness and cultural and linguistic differences with the Cook Islands led New Zealand to separate Niue into its own administration in 1904. The island became internally self-governing in 1974; it is an independent member of international organizations but is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized Niue as a sovereign and independent state.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

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

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 18.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 10.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Forest: 72.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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
Total: 1,815 (2024 est.)
Male: 877 (2024 est.)
Female: 938 (2024 est.)
Distribution: population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island
Growth rate: -0.03% (2021 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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: 64.6 (2024)
Youth dependency ratio: 38.2 (2024)
Elderly dependency ratio: 26.4 (2024)
Potential support ratio: 3.8 (2024)

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Male: 71.8 years (2016)
Female: 75.7 years (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Total: 3% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Total: 2.6% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

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

Government type

Capital
Name: Alofi
Geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W
Time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: a traditional name for an area of the island; became the name for the newly declared capital in the 20th century

Administrative divisions: no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 14 villages are considered second-order

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

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
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a 3-year term
Most recent election date: 8 May 2023
Election results: Dalton TAGELAGI reelected prime minister; Legislative Assembly vote - Dalton TAGELAGI (independent) 16, O'Love JACOBSEN (independent) 4
Expected date of next election: 2026

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Niue Assembly (Fono Ekepule)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 20
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 3 years
Most recent election date: 29 April 2023
Parties elected and seats per party: independents (20)
Percentage of women in chamber: 15%
Expected date of next election: April 2026

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: yellow with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the UK flag has five yellow five-pointed stars, with a large star on a blue disk in the center and smaller stars on each arm of the red cross

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: in use since 1745

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

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
Commodities: abrasive powder, coin (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, plastic products, machine parts, construction vehicles, cars (2023)
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 (2023 est.)
Consumption: 3 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 400,000 kWh (2023 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 61 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 9,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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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
Users percent of population: 80% (2024 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

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 (2025)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 70 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 2, general cargo 29, oil tanker 4, other 30

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs