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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Niue
Niue [834]
Group:
Country: Niue Region: Oceania 8
Lat: 19.05º S Long : 169.85º W
Area: 263.7 sq. km Altitude: 73 m
Shoreline: 65.6 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.2488
Depth to nearest land: 4000 m
Nearest island: 400 km group: 400 km
Nearest continent: Australia Distance: 3300 km Isolation Index: 97
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Raised coral platform with terraced coastal cliffs, higher rim and karst
topography; thin soil partly of volcanic ash origin; high natural
radioactivity
CLIMATE: tropical
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones (1980); natural radioactivity
Threat Indicator: 2
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 6 Marine: 3
Limestone rain forest; coastal forest on terraces; secondary forest,
scrub and
fern barrens; caves; fringing reefs; cliffs with terraced coralline
algal
pools
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
175 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
629 vascular plants, including 175 indigenous taxa
Insects:
no butterflies
Birds:
(Polynesian Triller) endemic subspecies
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 0
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 1 Group: 1
one endemic bird subspecies
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 0
numerous caves and scenic coastal areas
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, declining population
Population: 3200 (1981) Density: 12.1 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: -3.3%/yr Decreasing
Major Human Activities: agriculture
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Agricultural development (passion fruit); some timber cutting; rapid
increase
in degraded land (over 45%) in last 40 years from poor agricultural
development and shifting cultivation. Population declining from
emigration to
New Zealand
Habitat: villages Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Accessibility: airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 10% Human Threat Indicator: 0
Gross Domestic Product: $ 1101 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 1
Conservation support: public support, tenure
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
Number: 1 Area: Terrestrial: 0.0 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Huvalu Tapu Forest (traditional protected area since prehistoric times)
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 1
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 8 Moderate
CI-Marine: 4 Low
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 04/12/88
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Page last updated: 09/05/10