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.
Sandra Rose Te Hakamatua Lee-Vercoe is a former New Zealand politician and diplomat. She served as deputy leader of the Alliance party and was later High Commissioner to Niue.
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between countries and territories of the Pacific Ocean,including formation of a trade bloc and regional peacekeeping operations. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum (SPF),and changed its name in 1999 to "Pacific Islands Forum",so as to be more inclusive of the Forum's Oceania-spanning membership of both north and south Pacific island countries,including Australia. It is a United Nations General Assembly observer.
Mititaiagimene Young Vivian is a Niuean politician who has twice been the premier of his country. Representing the Niue People's Action Party,he defeated sitting premier Sani Lakatani in May 2002 elections. Vivian had previously served as premier for a brief period from 12 December 1992 to 9 March 1993 following the death of Sir Robert Rex. He had also previously been the secretary general of the Pacific Community from 1979 until 1982. He was re-elected to the Niue Assembly unopposed in elections that were held in April 2005. He was again re-elected unopposed to Parliament in the 2008 elections. However,he lost his position as premier when he was successfully challenged by fellow MP Toke Talagi after that election. Talagi was elected premier by the Assembly,with fourteen votes to Vivian's five,and one abstaining.
Mark Herbert Blumsky is a former New Zealand politician and diplomat. He was Mayor of Wellington from 1995 to 2001,and a Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2005 to 2008. Blumsky was New Zealand's High Commissioner to Niue from 2010 to 2014.
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 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.
Niue maintains diplomatic relations with various other countries and multilateral organizations.
General elections were held in Niue on 30 April 2005. No political parties ran in the poll,with all candidates standing as independents. Around 830 voters participated in the election and 17 of the 20 incumbent MPs retained their seats. Close results in two constituencies meant that winners were drawn from a hat.
John Bryan is a career diplomat who was appointed by the New Zealand foreign minister to the office of High Commissioner of the Cook Islands on 6 September 2005. Bryan had previously served as High Commissioner of Niue. Bryan had also served as a diplomat in Apia,Suva,Singapore,Bonn,New York City and Brisbane,and as Director of Property and Capital Management Division in New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Parliamentary elections were held in Niue on June 7,2008. They were initially expected to be held in April,but were delayed until June 2008. Niue has a 20-member legislative assembly,called the Niue Assembly,whose members are elected by approximately 600 registered voters. The assembly consists of 20 total members,6 elected on a common roll and 14 representatives of the villages
Tauveve O’Love Jacobsen is a Niuean politician and diplomat. She served as Niue's High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2011 to 2017. Her predecessor was Sisilia Talagi,Niue's first female diplomat and High Commissioner. She had previously served as a member of the Niue Assembly and a minister in Toke Talagi's government. She was previously a long-standing leading figure in the informal parliamentary Opposition to Young Vivian's government. She was,from 2008 to 2011,Minister of Health,Minister of Public Works,Minister of Women's Affairs,and Minister in charge of the Niue Power Corporation. She had previously been Minister of Education,Health,Environment,Training and Development. Additionally,Jacobsen is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,and Patroness of the Niuean Volleyball Association.
Sir Toke Tufukia Talagi was a Niuean politician,diplomat,and statesman. He served as Premier of Niue from 2008 to 2020.
Togia Likalika Sioneholo is a Niuean politician who was a Cabinet Minister of Toke Talagi's Government from June 2008 to May 2011 after being elected to the Niue Assembly in the June 2008 general election. He was minister for Community Affairs,Education,Justice,Shipping and Bulk Fuels. He was formerly Chief Electoral Officer.
Sino-Niuean relations are relations between China and Niue.
Atapana Siakimotu is a Niuean politician,diplomat,and public servant. He served as Speaker of the Niuean Assembly from 2002 to 2011.
The High Commissioner of Niue to New Zealand is the top-ranking diplomatic representative of Niue to New Zealand. Niue is in free association with New Zealand and lacks full sovereignty. New Zealand is the only country in the world in which Niue exchanges diplomatic representation.
Joan Sisiati Tahafa Viliamu is a Niuean politician and former Cabinet minister.
India–Niue relations refers to bilateral relations between India and Niue.
Tessa Temata was a New Zealand career diplomat and lawyer who served as High Commissioner to the Cook Islands from February 2019 until her death in December 2019. Temata was the first person of Cook Islander descent to serve as High Commissioner to the Cook Islands,as well as the first female High Commissioner of Pacific Islander descent to be posted anywhere in Oceania. Prior to her appointment as High Commissioner,Temata had served as a diplomat in Indonesia,Papua New Guinea,Kiribati,and Niue.
