Their turquoise bays, white sand beaches and palm trees may present a vision of paradise, but the future of three of the Pacific's smallest countries is under threat as their inhabitants seek new lives elsewhere.
The tiny nations of Niue and Tokelau are losing people at such a rate that their continued viability has been cast into serious doubt. The neighbouring Cook Islands, although larger, have also been drastically depleted by migration.
All three are former British colonies but also have close historical links with New Zealand. Their their inhabitants are automatically granted New Zealand passports, with the right to live there.
Although their homelands are regarded by the rest of the world as enviable tropical idylls, a dire lack of job opportunities has propelled thousands of islanders to opt for a better life abroad.
The population of Niue, which means 'Behold the Coconut', is now just 1,200, down from 4,000 when the island was granted self-government 30 years ago. In contrast, 18,000 Niueans live in New Zealand, 2,400km to the southwest. Tokelau is in a similarly precarious position - just 1,500 people now call the archipelago home, while 6,000 of their compatriots have moved to New Zealand.
In the neighbouring Cook Islands, named after the British explorer Captain James Cook, the population stands at around 15,000, but nearly four times that many have migrated to New Zealand and Australia.