| Tokelau |
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| Introduction | Tokelau |
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Background:
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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. |
| Geography | Tokelau |
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Location:
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Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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9 00 S, 172 00 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 10 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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101 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
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Terrain:
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low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
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Environment - current issues:
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very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
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Geography - note:
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consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level |
| People | Tokelau |
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Population:
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1,405 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.01% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: NA
male: 68 years female: 70 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian |
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Religions:
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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 |
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Languages:
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Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
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Literacy:
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NA |
| Government | Tokelau |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
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Dependency status:
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self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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none; each atoll has its own administrative center |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (territory of New Zealand) |
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Independence:
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none (territory of New Zealand) |
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National holiday:
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Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
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Constitution:
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administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 |
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Legal system:
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New Zealand and local statutes |
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Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General of New Zealand Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
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 head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); 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 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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UNESCO (associate), UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territory of New Zealand) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territory of New Zealand) |
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Flag description:
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the flag of New Zealand is used |
| Economy | Tokelau |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA% |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats |
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Industries:
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small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh |
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Exports:
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$98,000 f.o.b. (1983) |
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Exports - commodities:
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stamps, copra, handicrafts |
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Exports - partners:
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New Zealand (2000) |
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Imports:
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$323,000 c.i.f. (1983) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
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Imports - partners:
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New Zealand (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$0 |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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from New Zealand about $4 million annually |
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Currency:
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New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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Currency code:
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NZD |
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Exchange rates:
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New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5279 1.7229 (2003), 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |
| Communications | Tokelau |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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300 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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0 (2001) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002) |
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Radios:
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1,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.tk |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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NA |
| Transportation | Tokelau |
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Highways:
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total: NA
paved: NA unpaved: NA |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; offshore anchorage only |
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Airports:
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none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.) |
| Military | Tokelau |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
| Transnational Issues | Tokelau |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on 17 May, 2005 |