Alofi, Niue
Niue, a Pacific island that is the world’s smallest self-governing country, may have to give up its independence after a tornado flattened the capital this week. Just 2,100 people live on the coral atoll, only half of them native Niueans. Some 20,000 Niueans have already moved to New Zealand, where they can claim citizenship as former colonial subjects. The Kiwi option is “a blessing and a curse,” said Prime Minister Toke Talagi. “Those people who have contemplated leaving will now be resolved to leave.” He said he feared that the population would drop to an unsustainable 500 in the coming months.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.