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SOPAC country profile, Niue is a single uplifted coral atoll in an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 390 000 sq km. The island,which had an estimated population of 2 000 in 19991,has a total land area of 259 sq km and a maximum height of 65 m above sea level.Located at the edge of the tropical cyclone belt, in the southeast trade winds zone, Niue experiences ana verage of one severe cyclone per decade. Otherwise,the atoll has a pleasant climate with two distinct seasons; the hot wet season from November to March and the cool dry season from April to November.Rainfall averages 2 200 mm per year and the mean temperature is 25°C.International aid, especially from New Zealand, and remittances are the mainstays of the Niue economy.However, subsistence agriculture has a vital role in the economy together with minor successes in boosting exports of agricultural products.

The Cook Islands comprises 15 islands with a total land area of 237 sq km and a maximum height above sea-level of 652 m. The islands are scattered over an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.8 million sq km; one of the largest EEZ’s in the South Pacific.

Nauru is a single raised coral island with a total land area of 21 sq km. Despite its small land area, Nauru has an EEZ that extends over more than 320 000 sq km. Its maximum height above sea level is approximately 70 m.