With a current population of under 2,000 inhabitants, Niue would rank very high on a list of countries-by-size (100 square miles) and countries-by-population, but its status of free association with New Zealand means it’s not recognized as a self-governing state and thus not included in such lists. At the time of Captain Cook’s Pacific voyages, the Niueans were, perhaps, prescient enough to frighten the Europeans off - Cook named Niue “Savage Island” because of his reception on its shores....i.e., some Niueans met him with a fierce greeting, seemingly painted in blood. The “blood,” as it turns out, was actually the smearings of the red fe’i banana, hulahula. And while it may have been unfortunate that Niue retained its nickname for centuries, considering the deprivations foisted on other, more welcoming Pacific islands, the hulahula incident may have been rather no bad thing.
Stamp details: Stamps on top: Issued on: August 23, 1920 From: Alofi, Territory of Niue MC #25-27
Middle stamps: Issued on: October 19, 1974 From: Alofi, Niue MC #144-145
Stamps on bottom: Issued on: June 5, 2019 From: Alofi, Niue Colnect #2019-01SS
Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: No Claimed by: Free Association with New Zealand Member of the Universal Postal Union: Yes (as a part of the Colony of New Zealand on October 1, 1907)
