Map of Tokelau | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. 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.


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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 reference

Area
Rank: 242
Land: 12 km²
Water: 0 km²
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

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Permanent crops: 60%
Other: 40% (2011)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

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


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Population: 1353 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 236
Growth rate: -0.01% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 198
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language) English

Religions: Congregational Christian Church 70% Roman Catholic 28% other 2%

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2013 est.)
Rank: 198

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: NA

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Male: NA
Female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 63.4% (2007)
Rank: 4

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2003)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Tokelau

Government type: NA

Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)

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

Constitution: many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948); amended many times last in 2007 (2012)

Legal system: common law system of New Zealand

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
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; governor general appointed by the monarch; 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 19-21 January 2011 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: independents 20

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judge tenure NA
Subordinate courts: High Court in New Zealand; Council of Elders or Taupulega

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: PIF (observer) SPC UNESCO (associate) UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of New Zealand)
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 in conjunction with the canoe symbolizes the country navigating into the future; the color yellow indicates happiness and peace and the blue field represents the ocean on which the community relies

National symbols: tuluma (fishing tackle box)

National anthem
Lyrics and music: unknown/Falani KALOLO

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.5 million (1993 est.)
Rank: 229

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $1000 (1993 est.)
Rank: 217

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: coconuts copra breadfruit papayas bananas; pigs poultry goats; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: 440 (2001)
Rank: 232

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

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: $0 (2002)
Rank: 222
Commodities: stamps copra handicrafts

Imports: $969,200 (2002)
Rank: 223
Commodities: foodstuffs building materials fuel

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 191

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system
Domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
International: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite earth stations - 3 (2009)

Broadcast media: no TV stations; each atoll operates a radio service that provides shipping news and weather reports (2009)

Internet
Country code: .tk
Hosts: 2,069 (2012)
Hosts rank: 162
Users: 800 (2008)
Users rank: 216

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only


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Disputes international: Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs