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. Referenda held in 2006 and 2007 to change the
status of the islands from that of a New Zealand territory to one of
free association with New Zealand did not meet the needed threshold for
approval.
Geography ::Tokelau
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: 12 sq km
country comparison to the world: 240
land:
12 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:
Current Weather
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
People ::Tokelau
Population:
1,400 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 233
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years:
53%
65 years and over:
5% (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.011% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA
Urbanization:
urban population: 0% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male:
10 years
female:
11 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Tokelau
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 October 2007
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:
Foua TOLOA (since 21 February 2009); note - position rotates annually among the 3 Faipule (village leaders)
cabinet:
the
Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of 3 Faipule
(village leaders) and 3 Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a
cabinet
elections:
the
monarchy is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government chosen
from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Fono
(20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms
based upon proportional representation from the three islands; Atafu has
7 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Nukunonu has 6 seats); note - the Tokelau
Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power to the General
Fono
elections:
last held on 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results:
independents 20
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:
a yellow stylized
Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward the manu - the
Southern Cross constellation of four, white, five-pointed stars at the
hoist side; the Southern Cross represents the role of Christianity in
Tokelauan culture and symbolizes the country's navigating into the
future, the color yellow indicates happiness and peace, and the blue
field represents the ocean on which the community relies
Economy ::Tokelau
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 $10 million annually in
2008 and 2009 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support
amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An
international trust fund, currently worth nearly US$32 million, was
established in 2004 to provide Tokelau an independent source of revenue.
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.)
country comparison to the world: 227
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (1993 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Labor force:
440 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 228
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Budget:
revenues: $430,800
expenditures:
$2.8 million (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish
