from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Tokelau
Introduction
Background: 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
Location: Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New
Zealand
Geographic 9 00 S, 172 00 W
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 101 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural NEGL
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural lies in Pacific typhoon belt
hazards:
Environment - very limited natural resources and overcrowding are
current contributing to emigration to New Zealand
issues:
Geography - consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded
note: by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and
rising to over three meters above sea level
People
Population: 1,392 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (2006 est.)
Population -0.01% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration NA
rate:
Sex ratio: NA
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA
expectancy at male: NA
birth: female: NA
Total NA
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency self-administering territory of New Zealand; note -
status: 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
current political status
Government NA
type:
Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative none (territory of New Zealand)
divisions:
Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)
National Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
holiday: 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 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 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 unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon
branch: 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 2005 (next to be held
January 2008)
Judicial Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and
branch: criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political none
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
organization
participation:
Diplomatic none (territory of New Zealand)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (territory of New Zealand)
representation
from the US:
Flag the flag of New Zealand is used
description:
Economy
Economy - Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and
overview: 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 $1.5 million (1993 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official NA
exchange
rate):
GDP - real NA%
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,000 (1993 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: NA%
composition by industry: NA%
sector: services: NA%
Labor force: 440
Unemployment NA%
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Inflation rate NA%
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million; including capital
expenditures of NA (1987 est.)
Agriculture - coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,
products: poultry, goats; fish
Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production,
woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins;
fishing
Electricity - NA kWh
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Exports: $0 f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - stamps, copra, handicrafts
commodities:
Exports - New Zealand (2004)
partners:
Imports: $969,200 c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
commodities:
Imports - New Zealand (2004)
partners:
Debt - $0
external:
Economic aid - about $4 million annually from New Zealand
recipient:
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD)
(code):
Currency code: NZD
Exchange New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),
rates: 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 300 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 0 (2001)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern satellite-based
system: 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
Radio AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
broadcast note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands
stations: (2002)
Radios: 1,000 (1997)
Internet .tk
country code:
Internet 298 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet NA
users:
Transportation
Ports and none; offshore anchorage only
terminals:
Military
Military $66.72 million
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military - defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: