Niue "The Rock", "Rock of Polynesia"

Niue_on_the_globe

(Polynesia_centered)

 

Niue

Niue (/ˈnjuːeɪ/,  /niːˈjuːeɪ/; Niuean: Niuē) is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. It is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is part of Polynesia, and predominantly inhabited by Polynesians. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia".

 

Map of Niue (Island in New Zealand)

 

Niue's position is inside a triangle drawn between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand, and 604 kilometres (375 mi) northeast of Tonga. Niue's land area is about 261.46 square kilometres (100.95 sq mi)  and its population was 1,689 at the Census in 2022. Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. The higher level is made up of a limestone cliff running along the coast, with a plateau in the centre of the island reaching approximately 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 0.5 km (0.3 miles) wide and about 25–27 metres (80–90 feet) high, which slopes down and meets the sea in small cliffs. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi. Niue is subdivided into 14 villages (municipalities). Each village has a council that elects its chairperson. The villages are at the same time electoral districts; each village sends an assemblyperson to the Niue Assembly (parliament).

 

Alofi, the capital of Niue

 

As part of the Realm of New Zealand, New Zealand conducts most diplomatic relations on behalf of Niue. Niueans are citizens of New Zealand and Charles III is Niue's head of state in his capacity as King of New Zealand. Between 90% and 95% of Niuean people live in New Zealand,  along with about 70% of the speakers of the Niuean language.  Niue is a bilingual country, with 30% of the population speaking both Niuean and English. The percentage of monolingual English-speaking people is 11%, while 46% are monolingual Niuean speakers.

Miss Niue - Elaine Karena

 

Niue is a parliamentary democracy, with legislative elections every three years. Niue is not a member of the United Nations (UN), but UN organisations have accepted its status as a freely associated state as equivalent to independence for the purposes of international law.  As such, Niue is a member of some UN specialised agencies (such as UNESCO and the WHO),  and is invited, alongside the other non-UN member state, the Cook Islands, to attend United Nations conferences open to "all states". Niue has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1980.

 

Avatele_Beach

Swimmers enjoying the cool, pristine waters of Avatele Beach, Niue.

 

Students using their OLPC laptops in the school yard.

 

History

Polynesians from Samoa settled Niue around 900 CE. Further settlers arrived from Tonga in the 16th century.

 

 A succession of patu-iki (kings) ruled, beginning with Puni-mata. Tui-toga, who reigned from 1875 to 1887, was the first of the country's kings to adopt Christianity.

 

In 1900 a petition by the Cook Islanders asking for annexation included Niue "if possible".  In a document dated 19 October 1900, the "King" and Chiefs of Niue consented to "Queen Victoria taking possession of this island".

 

Niue was brought within the boundaries of New Zealand on 11 June 1901 by the same Order and Proclamation as the Cook Islands. 

 

Prime Minister of New Zealand Richard Seddon and the King of Niue, c. 1900

 Seddon, Richard John (1900) The Right Hon. R. J. Seddon's (the Premier of New Zealand) Visit to Tonga, Fiji, Savage Island (Niue) and the Cook Islands. 

 

Niuean dancers at the Pasifika Festival

 

The New Zealand Parliament restored self-government in Niue with the 1974 Niue Constitution Act, following the 1974 Niuean constitutional referendum in which Niueans had three options: independence, self-government, or continuation as a New Zealand territory. The majority selected self-government, and Niue's written constitution  was promulgated as supreme law.

 

On March 7, 2020, the International Dark-Sky Association announced that Niue had become the first entire country to be designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.  On 29 September 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the United States would recognise Niue as a sovereign nation.  On 25 September 2023, recognition was declared by President Biden and diplomatic relations were established.

 

Limestone-formations-Limu-Pools-Niue-coast

Natural stone arch

 

Niue  "The Rock",  the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia"

 

Niue - The Rock of Polynesia (Part One)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4nMAnx6Lvs

 

Niue - The Rock of Polynesia (Part Two)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRVVN0wxzZ4

 

 

VISITING NIUE ISLAND - the best country you'll never know about

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zavuWmA0f7o

 

Geography

Niue's coastline

Avatele, Niue. This is where Niue Dive launches its boats for diving

 

Niue is a 261.46 km2 (100.95 sq mi) raised coral atoll in the southern Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga. There are three outlying coral reefs within the exclusive economic zone, with no land area:

1. Beveridge Reef, 240 km (150 mi) southeast, submerged atoll drying during low tide, 9.5 km (5.9 mi) north-south, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) East-West, total area 56 km2 (22 sq mi), no land area, lagoon 11 metres (36 ft) deep.
2. Antiope Reef, 180 km (110 mi) northeast, a circular plateau approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft) in diameter, with a least depth of 9.5 metres (31 ft).
3. Haran Reef (also known as Harans Reef), 294 km (183 mi) southeast.

Besides these, Albert Meyer Reef, (almost 5 km (3.1 mi) long and wide, least depth 3 m (9.8 ft), 326 km (203 mi) southwest) is not officially claimed by Niue, and the existence of Haymet Rocks (1,273 km (791 mi) east-southeast) is in doubt.

 

 Coral Chasm , Niue.

Before reaching the chasm, one must follow a path through a field (strip) of needle rocks of coral limestone. The Niue Island is surrounded by steep limestone cliffs about 25 meters high, and a coastal strip of average 500 meters wide formed from coral origin limestone.

 

Government and politics

The Niue Constitution Act of 1974 vests executive authority in His Majesty the King in Right of New Zealand and in the Governor-General of New Zealand.  The Constitution specifies that everyday practice involves the exercise of sovereignty by Cabinet, composed of the Prime Minister (currently Dalton Tagelagi since 11 June 2020) and of three other ministers. The Prime Minister and ministers are members of the Niue Assembly, the nation's parliament.

 

Defence and foreign affairs

Niuean NZ Navy personnel and NZ’s Speark of Parliament, Gerry Brownlee. 

 

Niue has operated as a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand since 3 September 1974, when the people endorsed the Constitution in a plebiscite.  Niue is fully responsible for its internal affairs. Niue's position concerning its external relations is less clear-cut. Section 6 of the Niue Constitution Act provides that: "Nothing in this Act or in the Constitution shall affect the responsibilities of Her Majesty the Queen in right of New Zealand for the external affairs and defence of Niue." Section 8 elaborates but still leaves the position unclear:

Niue has a representative mission (High Commission) in Wellington, New Zealand.

 

Initially, Niue's foreign relations and defence were the responsibility of New Zealand.

 However, Niue gradually began to develop its own foreign relations, independent of New Zealand.

 

The Niue sevens team performing a takalo

The Niue Island team performs a meke dance after winning the competition.