Niue

The Block

The islands of Niue is a self-governing island in free association with New Zealand that declared itself autonomous in 1974. As they are not widely recognized as a sovereign nation, a block on the Quilt of Belonging was not created for them. Recognizing the distinct identity of this new nation, we invite you to learn about Niue in the Cultural Profile below.

Cultural Profile

Niue is a Polynesian island with a population of almost 2000 inhabitants. The official languages are Niuean and English with most residents belonging to the Niuean culture of Polynesian extraction. Its capital city is called Alofi

Niue was first settled from Samoa around 900 CE and Tonga in the 16^th Century. It became a territory of the British Empire in 1889 and New Zealand in 1901. Self-government was declared in a referendum in 1974 that nevertheless maintained free association with New Zealand.

The economy of Niue is based on a combination of tourism, agriculture, mining, and off-shore financing.