Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.
Location
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates
9 00 S, 172 00 W
Map references
Oceania
Area
total
10 sq km
land
10 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
101 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources
NEGL
Land use
arable land
0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops
0%
other
100% (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues
limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
Geography - note
consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level
Population
1,449 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
42%
15-64 years
53%
65 years and over
5%
Population growth rate
-0.018% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
NA
Death rate
NA
Net migration rate
NA
Sex ratio
NA
Infant mortality rate
total
NA
male
NA
female
NA
Life expectancy at birth
total population
NA
male
NA
female
NA
Total fertility rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
Tokelauan(s)
adjective
Tokelauan
Ethnic groups
Polynesian
Religions
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant
Languages
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Literacy
NA
Country name
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Tokelau
Dependency status
self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self governance in February 2006 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status
Government type
NA
Capital
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence
none (territory of New Zealand)
National holiday
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970
Legal system
New Zealand and local statutes
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government
Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)
cabinet
the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term
Legislative branch
unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has six seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Atafu has eight seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders
none
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
International organization participation
PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag description
the flag of New Zealand is used
Economy - overview
Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
NA
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
NA%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Labor force
440 (2001)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Budget
revenues
$430,800
expenditures
$2.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)
Agriculture - products
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish
