Map of Niue | Niue Flag Facts | Places to visit in Niue

Niue Flag
Niue Flag

Map of Niue | Niue Flag Facts | Places to visit in Niue 

 

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Who does not love a good island vacation with clean beaches and smaller crowds? A break from the usual uniform life with little nature and more buildings. City life can be too similar in every other country. A break to somewhere completely different from your daily life is not just exciting but mind-opening. However, completely ditching the city life even for a week can be rather difficult. Niue, an island country has a good mix of both for you to stay one with technology and luxury all while enjoying nature in its full glory.

Map of Niue

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A short history of Niue

Unlike several other islands in the same region as Niue, Niue is not a US territory and instead it is an independent country. 

In the beginning, Samoan Polynesians settled on this island in the 16th century. For a long period, the island did not have a government or a king. 

Captain Cook sighted Niue in 1774 but the inhabitants did not allow Cook to land on their land. He later named the island as “Savage Island” due to fierce opposition he faced by the local population. The Savage Island was later renamed to Niue which means ‘behold the coconut’. 

Later, the kings and the chiefs of Niue requested Queen Victoria to protect their land by taking possession of it. 

New Zealand helped them in restoring their self-government. Their role in Niue’s governance led to the official currency of the island being the New Zealand dollar.

Where is Niue located on the world map?

Mistaken for New Zealand due to its currency and past relations, Niue is an island country in Oceania situated towards the south of the Pacific Ocean. It lies towards the east of Tonga.

How many islands does Niue comprise of?

Known as one of the largest coral islands, the terrain has two levels and several steep limestone cliffs. The island is surrounded by a huge coral reef which breaks towards the central western coast. Most of the population also resides towards the opening of the reef which is also near to the capital. The island has unusual soil with significant levels of natural radioactivity which led to a high number of deaths due to skin cancer in the early 2000s.

Niue Flag Facts

Niue Flag
Niue Flag

With a history so unique and interesting, Niue’s flag is rather unique also. When the people of Niue wrote letters to Queen Victoria in search of protection, in exchange, they were offering the possession of the island itself to the Commonwealth and they happily agreed to make the Union Jack their official flag or a part of it. The flag of Niue was designed by Patricia Rex and it was adopted in 1975.

 Colors and meaning of the Niue flag

The flag of Niue is rather different than the usual flags you must have seen of countries that were previously colonized by the British, they often used the Union Jack as it is inside the flag but, in this case, the top left corner of the flag contains a Union Jack which is defaced with stars on all four arms of the cross and in the middle, forming a diamond. The stars have five arms which are yellow in color whereas the one in the middle is encircled in a navy-blue field. The rest of the flag also contains a yellow field.

The Union Jack on the flag represents Niue’s past relations with the United Kingdom where the UK provided protection to Niue. The yellow field reflects sunshine and warm feelings of the people of Niue towards New Zealand for the role that they played in taking over the administrative responsibility of Niue and helping them get back on their feet. The blue disc in the middle of the cross represents the ocean that surrounds the land of Niue.

Population of Niue

The people of Niue originate from the Polynesia descent as they were the first to settle on this island. Niue has a small population of just approximately 1,700 people. Around 66% of the population is Niuean while the remaining is part Niuean and other ethnic groups. 

Due to the impact of the United Kingdom, the most commonly followed religion in Niue is Christianity. The people of Niue greatly value their culture and sports. Rugby is highly popular in the country.

Language of Niue

Due to the interaction and the administration of Niue with the British and the New Zealanders, the official language of Niue is English and a vast majority of the country speaks it. However, the people of Niue also have their very own language called Niuean.

Interesting facts about Niue

The once called Savage Island is now renowned for its humble welcoming people and very entertaining history. This place is full of fun information. Here are some of the most interesting facts that will leave your amazed

  • With one of the highest standards of living per capita, Niue has no crimes in the country.
  • It is the only place in the entire world where you can swim alongside whales in crystal clear water.
  • Niue has a reputation as ‘the Rock’ because it was formed from a volcanic eruption and the island now sits over 100-foot cliffs.
  • Wondering why there aren’t that many people in Niue? That is because a large chunk of the Niueans live in New Zealand.

Places to visit in Niue

At this point, the beauty of Niue and the exclusive experiences that it offers cannot be praised enough. Here are a few things to do during your stay in Niue.

  • Togo Chasm – From the journey to the place itself, everything is an adventure of its own.
  • Clifftop Coffee – Imagine having coffee from the roof of your house but grander with an unmatchable view. The cozy cafes on the clifftop will leave you baffled but with a warm beverage in your hand.
  • Discover – Yes, you read it right. The entire island is  full of beautiful underground and overground caves and little lakes with breathtaking views that you can go on an adventure of your own as long as you don’t get lost!

BOOK HOTEL IN ANY PART OF NIUE AT GREAT PRICES

See Also

MAP AND FLAG OF COUNTRIES IN OCEANIA

 

Hi and welcome to my travel blog! Based in London, I work in investment banking in a quantitative field and although I am not part of the travel industry, I have a ton of passion for travel. My blog is a reference guide for my fellow travelers with the same passion as me. Hopefully the blog is easy to navigate and my aim is to bring the most relevant and interesting information before you begin your journey!