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This page was last updated on 17 May, 2005


Map of Tokelau



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Tokelau
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
9 00 S, 172 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
101 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
NEGL
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,405 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.01% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: NA
male: 68 years
female: 70 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Polynesian
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
NA
   Government    Tokelau
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
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
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of New Zealand)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
New Zealand and local statutes
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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)
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
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:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
the flag of New Zealand is used
   Economy    Tokelau
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
stamps, copra, handicrafts
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
New Zealand (2000)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
New Zealand (2000)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$0
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
from New Zealand about $4 million annually
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
NZD
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5279 1.7229 (2003), 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 April - 31 March
   Communications    Tokelau
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 (2001)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.tk
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transportation    Tokelau
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: NA
paved: NA
unpaved: NA
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.)
   Military    Tokelau
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
   Transnational Issues    Tokelau
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 17 May, 2005


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