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.

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

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)

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

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.)

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.)

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)

Population growth rate: -0.03% (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)

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

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

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

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

Legal system: English common law

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

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

Industries: handicrafts, food processing

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

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.)

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

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.)

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

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

Airports: 1 (2025)

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