Niue

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.

Table of Contents

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.

Geography

Location

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

Niue map showing some population centers on this island in the South Pacific Ocean.

Geographic coordinates

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references

Oceania

Area

total : 260 sq km

land: 260 sq km

water: 0 sq km

comparison ranking: total 212

Area – 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

arable land, fish

Land use

agricultural land: 18.5% (2022 est.)

arable land: 3.8% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 10.8% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.8% (2022 est.)

forest: 72.7% (2022 est.)

other: 8.9% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Population distribution

population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island

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

People and Society

Population

total: 1,815 (2024 est.)

male: 877 (2024 est.)

female: 938 (2024 est.)

comparison rankings: female 231; male 232; total 232

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.)

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.)

comparison ranking: 198

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

improved:

total: 97% of population

unimproved:

total: 3% of population (2020 est.)

Health expenditure

7.8% of GDP (2020)

6.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

total: 95.5% of population

unimproved:

total: 4.5% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

50% (2016)

comparison ranking: 6

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 8.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 4.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 1.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 2.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 38

Education expenditure

5.6% national budget (2025 est.)

Environment

Environment – current issues

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash-and-burn agriculture

Environment – 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

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 48.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 6.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Government

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 translates as “behold the coconut;” the former name, Savage Island, was the result of an acrimonious meeting in 1774 between English explorer Captain James COOK and local people

note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Dependency status

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue is fully responsible for internal affairs; under the Niue Constitution Act of 1974, New Zealand provides necessary economic and administrative assistance to Niue, as well as assistance with foreign affairs, defense, and security if requested

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

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 14 villages are considered second-order

Legal system

English common law

Constitution

history: several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974)

amendment process: 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

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

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

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and up to 3 judges)

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: the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the final appeal court beyond the Niue Court of Appeal

Political parties

none

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Niue

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

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)

Flag description

yellow with the UK flag in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the UK flag has five yellow five-pointed stars, with a large star (representing Niue) on a blue disk in the center and smaller stars on each arm of the red cross that symbolize links with New Zealand; yellow stands for sunshine and the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand

National symbol(s)

yellow five-pointed star

National colors

yellow

National anthem

name: “Ko e Iki he Lagi” (The Lord in Heaven)

lyrics/music: unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA

note: adopted 1974

Economy

Economic 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.)

comparison ranking: 223

Real GDP per capita

$11,100 (2021 est.)
$11,800 (2020 est.)
$12,400 (2019 est.)

note: data are in 2009 dollars

comparison ranking: 143

Agricultural products

coconuts, taro, fruits, sweet potatoes, tropical fruits, yams, vegetables, lemons/limes, bananas, pork (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

handicrafts, food processing

Exports

$5.68 million (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: 220

Exports – partners

USA 54%, Germany 8%, Canada 5%, UK 5%, Guatemala 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

abrasive powder, coin (2023)

note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports

$43.8 million (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: 218

Imports – partners

NZ 87%, Fiji 6%, UAE 2%, Slovakia 1%, Australia 1% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

refined petroleum, plastic products, machine parts, construction vehicles, cars (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
1.628 (2023 est.)
1.577 (2022 est.)
1.414 (2021 est.)
1.542 (2020 est.)
1.518 (2019 est.)

Energy

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 3,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 3 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 400,000 kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 2; consumption 211; installed generating capacity 211