Map of Tokelau | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Oceania, Polynesia, 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total area total: 10 km²
Land: 10 km²

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: coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 100%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand


top of page


Population: 1,523 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: -1.35% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Tokelauan(s)

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -1.35% (1994 est.)

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form:

Government type: territory of New Zealand

Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand)

Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970

Legal system: British and local statutes

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Head of Government: Administrator Graham ANSELL (since NA 1990; appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand); Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ (since NA), Office of Tokelau Affairs; Tokelau's governing Council will elect its first head of government

Legislative branch: unicameral Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll

Judicial branch: High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: SPC, WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation
From the us:

Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $800 (1988 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops - breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$430,830

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983)
Commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts
Partners: NZ

Imports: $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983)
Commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Partners: NZ

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $0

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.7771 (January 1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989)


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 200 kW
Production: 300,000 kWh
Consumption per capita: 180 kWh (1990)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs