Tokelau
Introduction Tokelau
--------------------
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 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: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: about 17 times the size of The Mall
in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues: very limited natural resources and
overcrowding are contributing to
emigration to New Zealand
Geography - note: 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: 1,431 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (1996 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.92% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio: NA
Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years
male: 68 years (2001)
female: 70 years (2001)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
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
Government Tokelau
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status: self-administering territory of New
Zealand; note - Tokelauans are
drafting a constitution, developing
institutions and patterns of self-
government as Tokelau moves toward
free association with New Zealand
Government type: NA
Capital: none; each atoll has its own
administrative center
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, as 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); the UK and
New Zealand are represented by
Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA
March 1993)
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: Aliki Faipule
Pio TUIA (since NA 2002)
cabinet: the Council of Faipule,
consisting of three elected leaders
- one from each atoll - functions as
a cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral General Fono (48 seats;
members chosen by each atoll's
Council of Elders or Taupulega to
serve three-year terms); note - the
Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996
confers limited legislative power on
the General Fono
Judicial branch: Supreme Court in New Zealand
exercises civil and criminal
jurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and none
leaders:
International organization SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO
participation: (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the none (territory of New Zealand)
US:
Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used
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 $4 million annually - to
maintain public services, 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 - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000
(1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $430,830
expenditures: $2.8 million,
including capital expenditures of
$37,300 (1987 est.)
Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra
production, woodworking, plaited
craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
other: NA%
nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit,
papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry,
goats
Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983)
Exports - commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts
Exports - partners: NZ
Imports: $323,000 (c.i.f., 1983)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Imports - partners: NZ
Debt - external: $0
Economic aid - recipient: from New Zealand about $4 million
annually
Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code: NZD
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar -
2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776
(2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886
(1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Tokelau
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service
between islands
international: radiotelephone
service to Samoa; government-
regulated telephone service
(TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth
stations, established in 1997
Radio broadcast stations: note: each atoll has a radio
broadcast station of unknown type
that broadcasts shipping and weather
reports (1998)
Radios: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .tk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Transportation Tokelau
----------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: none; lagoon landings are possible
by amphibious aircraft (2001)
Military Tokelau
----------------
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New
Zealand
Transnational Issues Tokelau
----------------------------
Disputes - international: none
|