Alofi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alofi
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City
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A street in Alofi
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Alofi council within Niue
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Administrative map of Niue showing all the villages. Alofi is on the western side of the island
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Constituent country | Niue |
| Tribal Area | Tafiti |
| Village | Alofi North and Alofi South |
| Area | |
| • Area of both Alofi North and Alofi South | 46.48 km2 (17.95 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 21 m (69 ft) |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 610 |
| • Density | 13.12/km2 (32.46/sq mi) |
| • Alofi North | 187 |
| • Alofi South | 423 |
| Resident Population | |
| • Visitors (Alofi North) | 6,214 |
| • Visitor (Alofi South) | 6,214 |
| Time zone | UTC-11 (UTC-11) |
| Area code(s) | +683 |
Alofi is the capital city of the island nation of Niue. It is a very small capital, with only 610 people living there in 2022. This makes Alofi the second-smallest capital city in the world by population!
Alofi is actually made up of two villages: Alofi North and Alofi South. Both villages together form the capital. Most of the government buildings are in Alofi South. They were moved there after a big storm.
Contents
History of Alofi
The Impact of Cyclone Heta
In January 2004, a very strong tropical storm called Cyclone Heta hit Niue. This storm caused a lot of damage across the whole island. Sadly, two people lost their lives.
Many buildings in Alofi were destroyed, including the main hospital. After the storm, the government decided to move its buildings to a safer spot. This new area is called Fonuakula. It is about 3 kilometers (2 miles) inland from the west coast and is part of Alofi South.
Geography of Alofi
Where is Alofi Located?
Alofi is found in the middle of Alofi Bay. This bay is on the west coast of Niue. It's special because it has the only natural break in the coral reef that surrounds the island.
The bay itself is quite long, stretching for about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles). This is about 30% of the island's length. Alofi shares its borders with several other villages on the island.
Alofi's Tropical Climate
| Weather chart for Alofi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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260
28
23
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250
29
24
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300
28
24
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200
27
23
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130
26
22
|
80
26
21
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90
25
20
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100
25
20
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100
26
21
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120
26
21
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140
27
22
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190
28
23
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: Weatherbase |
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Imperial conversion
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Alofi has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it's warm and rainy all year round. There isn't really a dry season here. Even during the drier months from June to September, there's still a good amount of rain.
The average temperature in Alofi stays pretty steady. It's usually around 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) in the warmest month, February. In the cooler months of July and August, it's about 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit).
| Climate data for Alofi | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 38 (100) |
38 (100) |
32 (90) |
36 (97) |
30 (86) |
32 (90) |
35 (95) |
37 (99) |
36 (97) |
31 (88) |
37 (99) |
36 (97) |
38 (100) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
27 (81) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26 (79) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
13 (55) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
11 (52) |
17 (63) |
11 (52) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 261.6 (10.30) |
253.6 (9.98) |
305.6 (12.03) |
202.6 (7.98) |
138.2 (5.44) |
88.9 (3.50) |
96.4 (3.80) |
105.8 (4.17) |
102.4 (4.03) |
123.8 (4.87) |
145.5 (5.73) |
196.2 (7.72) |
2,018.4 (79.46) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Transport in Alofi
Getting Around Alofi
Alofi has its own airport, called Niue International Airport. This is how many people arrive on the island. There are also many roads, some paved and some dirt, that go through the town.
Sir Roberts Wharf
The main port for the island is Sir Roberts Wharf. It's located right near the center of Alofi. This wharf is quite small. Because of how the island is shaped, it can only handle smaller, flat-bottomed boats.
Larger cargo ships and fishing boats have to anchor further out near the coral reef. Then, smaller boats called barges are used to bring the cargo to shore. The wharf was recently made stronger and bigger in 2020, after it was damaged by a cyclone.
Famous People from Alofi
- Dalton Tagelagi (born 1968), a politician
- Sam Pata Emani Tagelagi (1935–2011), also a politician
See also
In Spanish: Alofi (Niue) para niños
