Niue Island lies 200 miles east of Tonga, 300 miles south of the Samoa and 600 miles west of the Cook Islands. The island is 11 miles wide by 13 miles long, with a coastline of 50 miles encompassing an area of 64,900 acres. Niue is an uplifted atoll, the largest in the world. Its centre - the site of a former lagoon and now a plateau of gently undulating relief - is completely surrounded by a narrow rim, the “Mutalau reef”, and then sloping down a moderately steep incline to the sea shore. The soils are characteristically thin, with exposed coral-reef limestone outcrops on arable land almost everywhere. There are about 1500 people in 14 villages on the island and village life remains the focus for Niue's cultural and political organisation. Niue has been self-governed in free association with New Zealand since 1974 and all Niueans are New Zealand citizens. The economy is fragile due to shortages of skilled professionals, relative isolation and a small private sector. Tourism, fisheries and horticulture are seen as providing the most significant prospects for economic development

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