| GEOGRAPHY |
Niue is an isolated
island located 480km (298 miles) east of
Tonga, 560km (348 miles) southeast of Western
Samoa, 980km (609 miles) west of Rarotonga
and 2400 (1500 miles) northeast of New Zealand.
Affectionately known as 'the rock', Niue
is reputedly the largest upraised coral
atoll in the world. It has 2500 hectares
of the most undisturbed forests in the world,
designated tapu areas by the locals, where
no humans were allowed to set foot for centuries.
Now all the tapu forests, except the one
controlled by Hakupu village, are penetrable.
These forests are full of lush undergrowth,
coconut palms and some of the oldest ebony
trees known. Light and scattered forest
covers approximately 14,000 hectares. At
the edge of the forest, the coast gives
way to coral outcrops. |
