Alofi is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...
of the Pacific Ocean island nation of
Niue
Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between T ...
. With a population of 597 in 2017, Alofi has the distinction of being the second smallest national capital city in terms of population (after
Ngerulmud, capital of
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the ...
). It consists of the two villages: Alofi North and Alofi South where the government headquarters are located.
[ SPC 2008, p.4.]
History
In January 2004, Niue was hit by the fierce tropical storm
Cyclone Heta which killed two people and did extensive damage to the entire island. Many of Alofi's buildings were destroyed, including the hospital. Government buildings were shifted to a less exposed site inland from the west coast, named Fonuakula, after the storm.
[ East-West Center] This site is still within the village boundaries of Alofi South.
Geography
Overview
It is located at the centre of
Alofi Bay on the west coast of the island, close to the only break in the
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of Colony (biology), colonies of coral polyp (zoology), polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, wh ...
that surrounds Niue. The bay stretches for 30% of the island's length (about seven kilometres) from
Halagigie Point in the south to Makapu Point in the north.
The council's territory borders with
Avatele,
Hakupu,
Lakepa,
Liku,
Makefu
Makefu is one of the fourteen villages of Niue. Its population at the 2017 census was 70, up from 64 in 2011.
The village was established by villagers from Tuapa
Tuapa is one of the fourteen villages of Niue. Its population at the 2017 census was ...
,
Mutalau,
Tamakautoga and
Tuapa
Tuapa is one of the fourteen villages of Niue. Its population at the 2017 census was 112, up from 97 in 2011.
Villagers from Tuapa established the villages of Makefu, Hikutavake, and Namukulu
Namukulu is one of the fourteen villages of Niue. Wit ...
.
Climate
Alofi features a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southe ...
under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
, with no discernible
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The ...
. The city has a noticeably drier stretch from June through September. However, all of these months average more than of rain, the limit for a dry season month. Average temperatures vary slightly throughout the course of the year in Alofi hovering at around , during the warmest month (February) and at around during the coolest months (July and August) .
Transport
The town is serviced by
Niue International Airport, and there are numerous roads, both paved and dirt, that crisscross the town.
The island's main seaport is
Sir Roberts Wharf. It is located at , close to the centre of Alofi, within 200 metres of the capital's post office and just to the north of the Chamber of Commerce building. It is a small wharf, capable – due to the island's topography — of only handling smaller flat-bottomed boats. Larger cargo vessels and fishing boats moor near the reef, and barges are used to offload cargo. Major strengthening, extension work, and renovations to the wharf were commissioned in 2020, after cyclone damage earlier in the year.
Personalities
*
Dalton Tagelagi (b. 1968), politician
*
Sam Pata Emani Tagelagi
Sam Pata Emani Tagelagi (29 December 1935 – 10 September 2011) was a Niuean politician and elder. Tagelagi served as the first Speaker of the Niue Assembly from 1976 to 1993.
Biography
From 1958 until 1963, Tagelagi worked as an employee of th ...
(1935–2011), politician
See also
*
Niue High School
*
List of villages in Niue
*
Huanaki Cultural Centre & Museum
Huanaki Cultural Centre & Museum was a national museum and cultural centre in Alofi in Niue, which was destroyed in 2004 by Cyclone Heta.
Background
In 1983 the government of Niue established the Niue Arts & History Project, which aimed to ...
*
List of national capitals
This is a list of national capitals, including capitals of territories and dependencies, non-sovereign states including associated states and entities whose sovereignty is disputed.
The capitals included on this list are those associated with ...
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
External links
History of NiueCyclone aftermath pictures
{{Authority control
Capitals in Oceania
Populated places in Niue