Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 604 kilometers northeast of Tonga. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia". 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 above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 0.5 km wide and about 25–27 metres 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.
The history of Niue is the history of the area and people of Niue, including its indigenous Polynesian societies. Niue was first settled by Polynesian sailors from Samoa in around 900 AD. Further settlers arrived from Tonga in the 16th century.
Politics of Niue takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief Minister is the head of government, and of a non-partisan system. Niue is self-governing in free association with New Zealand and is fully responsible for internal affairs. New Zealand retains some responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with Niue. The Niue Constitution Act 1974 (NZ) vests executive authority in Her Majesty the Queen in Right of New Zealand and the Governor-General of New Zealand. The constitution specifies that in everyday practice, it is exercised by a Cabinet of the Premier of Niue and three other ministers. The premier and ministers must be members of the Niue Assembly, the nation's legislative assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
The Schedules of the Niue Constitution Act 1974 form the Niue constitution. It stipulates the make-up of the executive branch of the government, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The Niue Constitution Act 1974 is the supreme law of Niue; any other Niue law that is inconsistent with the Niue Constitution Act 1974 will be deemed to be invalid.
An associated state is the minor partner in a formal, free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a nation, for which no other specific term, such as protectorate, is adopted.
The flag of Niue was adopted on 15 October 1975. It consists of the Union Jack in the upper left corner with a star in the middle of the Union Jack and four stars forming a diamond around it. It is very unusual for a flag based on a British ensign design, in having not only a yellow background, but also a defaced (edited) Union Jack in the canton. It was designed by Patricia Rex, the wife of the then-Premier Robert Rex.
The Realm of New Zealand consists of the entire area in which the monarch of New Zealand functions as head of state. The Realm of New Zealand is not a federation; it is a constitutional concept encompassing the three autonomous legal systems of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Niue. It is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand is an independent and sovereign state. It has one Antarctic territorial claim, one dependent territory (Tokelau), and two associated states.
The Niue national rugby league team represents Niue in rugby league football. The team played their first match in 1986, and their first Test match in 2013.
"Ko e Iki he Lagi", also titled in English as "Lord in heaven, Thou art merciful", is the national anthem of Niue. It was adopted in 1974 when Niue became a self-governing state within the realm of New Zealand.
Niue at the 2002 Commonwealth Games was represented by Niue Island Association & National Olympic Committee and abbreviated NIU.
The Niue Island national rugby union team is the national team of the third tier rugby union playing nation of Niue Island. The team first started playing in 1983 in mainly competes in the Oceania Cup, which it won in 2008. Rugby union in Niue Island is administered by the Niue Rugby Football Union.
Niue Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in Niue. It was founded in 1952, and became affiliated to the World Rugby in 1999.
The Niue national soccer team was the national soccer team of Niue, controlled by the Niue Island Soccer Association. It was not a member of FIFA, although it was an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) until its membership was revoked in 2021 due to inactivity. The team was therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup.
Hon. Bill Vakaafi Motufoou is the Assemblyman for the Village of Mutalau on Niue. He was first elected into the Niue Assembly in 1999, then 2002, 2005 and also successfully (?) contested the seat for Niue General Election 2008. He was the General Secretary for the Mutalau Village Council before elected into parliament. He is also the Committee Member of the Niue Island Organic Farming Association (NIOFA). As Niue's Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Motufoou was the Niuean delegate at the senior officers meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2004.
Sino-Niuean relations are relations between China and Niue.
The sport of soccer in the country of Niue was previously run by the Niue Island Soccer Association, which as of 2021 had been inactive for a decade. The association administered the national soccer team, as well as the Niue Soccer Tournament.
The Niue Athletics Association (NAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Niue.
The Niue Island Soccer Association (NISA) was the governing body of soccer in Niue. It organised the nation's league, the Niue Soccer Tournament, as well as Niue's own national team.
Stan Kalauni is a Niuean politician and businessman, who is a current member of the Niuean Assembly.
The Paliati Grounds is the multi-use national stadium of the Pacific Island nation of Niue. The stadium has a capacity of 1,000 spectators. It is located adjacent to the Niue High School and the Niue campus of the University of the South Pacific.
