Niue Flag and Meaning

Flag of Niue

Niue Flag Meaning

 

Niue Overview

Population	2000
Currency	New Zealand dollars
Area	260 km²
Capital city	Alofi
Population density	7.6 residents/km²

Area: 259 km ². Located in the South Pacific, 2,300 km southeast of Aotearoa, New Zealand, west of the Cook Islands and east of the Tonga archipelago. Volcanic, lowland with relatively fertile soil. The climate is tropical and rainy, influenced by the sea.

The People: The majority are of Polynesian origin.

Religion: Protestant.

Language: The official language is English, while the national language is niuano.

Political parties: Niue People’s Party; Niues Population Action Party.

Official Name: Niue

Capital: Alofi, 400 residents (1999)

Government: Independent State associated with Aotearoa – New Zealand. Toke Talagi has been Prime Minister since June 2008. One-room system. 20-member Legislative Assembly, chaired by the Prime Minister. Aotearoa, New Zealand, oversees defense and foreign relations.

National Day: February 6 (Waitangi Day, 1840).

Residents: 1,492 (2007). 14,500 people, born in Niue, currently reside in Aotearoa.

Teachers: 1 for every 14 students (1988).

Price Index: 100 in 1990; 111.6 in 1993.

Coin foot: New Zealand dollars.

Defense: The defense is handled by New Zealand.

Niue was inhabited by people from Samoa and Tonga. Captain James Cook visited it in 1774 and named it: “The Barbarian Island”. The fierce reputation of the Niueans kept the missionaries at bay – the first permanent mission on the island was first established in 1861 – and also kept the slave traders at a distance, which caused great suffering elsewhere in the Pacific. Nevertheless, voluntary emigration took place towards the region’s phosphate mines, and it initiated a movement that continues to this day. In the year 1900, the island was declared British Protectorate. It was administered jointly with the Cook Islands until 1904, when it was given its own administration. In 1974 it was transformed into «territory associated with Aotearoa (New Zealand)». The UN recognized this decision as legitimate and removed the “Niue case” from the decolonization committee’s agenda.

In April 1989, the government, led by Prime Minister Robert Rex, was charged with fraud with financial means received from Aotearoa. Despite this, the opposition did not have enough votes to adopt a distrust agenda in parliament.

Aotearoa declared in 1991 that it would reduce the financial assistance to the area. In 1992, Niue and Australia established diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Robert Rex died December 12 and was replaced by Young Vivian, who in March 93 lost the election and was replaced by Frank Lui. In February 1996, Lui was re-elected for a new 3-year term.

On March 26, 1999, Sani Lakatani took over from the National People’s Party the Prime Minister’s post. That same year, Niue applied for membership in the United Nations Food Organization, FAO.

As a prelude to the country’s elections, the parliament was dissolved in March 2002 and the country is now administered by the Cabinet. On April 20 elections were held in the 14 electoral districts. It was won by Lakatani’s National People’s Party, and in May, Young Vivian was inaugurated as new prime minister.

In January 2004, the country was hit by cyclone Heta, which with gusts of more than 300 km per hour killed at least one and made another 200 homeless.

In May 2005, Young Vivian recaptured the Prime Minister’s post and subsequently announced that he would complete a government transformation. Finance Minister Toke Talagi was exempted from the post and the area was taken over by the Prime Minister himself.

Since 1966 the number of residents has been steadily declining due to the continued emigration to Aotearoa. In 1966 the population reached its peak with 5,200. In 2007, it had dropped to 1,492.

Niue established diplomatic relations with China in December 2007. However, Niue will find it difficult to allow diplomacy to unfold – primarily because of the size of the country. New Zealand already has diplomatic relations with China. In 2012, diplomatic relations with India were established. The country also has diplomatic relations with Israel. The year of admission is secret, but it probably happened already in the 1990’s, when Israel became increasingly difficult to secure its support in the UN. The small Pacific states were therefore mobilized to be able to vote with Israel and the United States, especially the UN General Assembly.

Niue declared in October 2016 that the entire country’s debt was paid off.

In May 2017, local elections were held. Prime Minister Talagi was re-elected to the post.