Niue

Niue is an island located east of Tonga, in the Polynesian part of the Pacific. After a brief British protectorate, it was annexed by New Zealand in 1901. Since 1974, it is a self-governing nation in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for foreign affairs and defence. The economy of Niue consists of subsistence farming, some cash crops, and some processing industry. Postage stamps for collectors are a source of income for the government. Many Niueans have migrated to New Zealand to find work, which has a negative impact on economic prospects. In 2005, geological data were found that might suggest large deposits of uranium. The Ekalesia Niue is the largest church. Besides the Catholic Church and the Anglicans, there is a Seventh-day Adventist community and small groups of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Latter Day Saints. The Niue Council of Churches includes the Catholic Church and the Ekalesia Niue, plus some smaller churches.