It has its own government, but it is an associated state of New Zealand. This means that Niue's head of state is New Zealand's sovereign (king) in right, and most diplomatic relations are conducted by New Zealand on Niue's behalf.
Niue is not a member state of the United Nations, but it is a member of some United Nations agencies.
The territory is 2,400 kilometres northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands.