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

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Background:


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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: Oceania

Area
Total: 12 km²
Land: 12 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 101 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation
Highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 60% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 60% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 40% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0 m³ (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific cyclone 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
Distribution: the country's small population is fairly evenly distributed amongst the three atolls
Total: 1,647 (2019 est.)
Growth rate: -0.01% (2019 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Tokelauan(s)
Adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Tokelauan 64.5%, part Tokelauan/Samoan 9.7%, part Tokelauan/Tuvaluan 2.8%, Tuvaluan 7.5%, Samoan 5.8%, other Pacific Islander 3.4%, other 5.6%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.)

Languages: Tokelauan 88.1% (a Polynesian language), English 48.6%, Samoan 26.7%, Tuvaluan 11.2%, Kiribati 1.5%, other 2.8%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 ests.)
Note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Religions: Congregational Christian Church 50.4%, Roman Catholic 38.7%, Presbyterian 5.9%, other Christian 4.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 60.4
Youth dependency ratio: 47
Elderly dependency ratio: 13.4
Potential support ratio: 7.5 (2021)

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2019 est.)

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate: -3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: the country's small population is fairly evenly distributed amongst the three atolls

Urbanization
Urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: overexploitation of certain fish and other marine species, coastal sand, and forest resources; pollution of freshwater lenses and coastal waters from improper disposal of chemicals

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
Improved urban: 0% of population
Improved rural: 99.7% of population
Improved total: 99.7% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.3% of population
Unimproved total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved rural: 100% of population

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Tokelau
Former: Union Islands, Tokelau Islands
Etymology: 'tokelau' is a Polynesian word meaning 'north wind'

Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital
Time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Note: there is no designated, official capital for Tokelau; the location of the capital rotates among the three atolls along with the head of government or Ulu o Tokelau

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
History: many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948)
Amendments: proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono; amended several times, last in 2007

Legal system: common law system of New Zealand

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see New Zealand

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 September 2021); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Don HIGGINS (since June 2022)
Head of government: (Ulu o Tokelau) Alapati TAVITE (since 12 March 2024)
Cabinet: Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau (or Tokelau Council) functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 village leaders (Faipule) and 3 village mayors (Pulenuku)
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; head of government chosen from the Council of Faipule to serve a 1-year term
Note: the meeting place of the Tokelau Council and the head of government position rotates annually among the three atolls; this tradition has given rise to the somewhat misleading description that the capital rotates yearly between the three atolls; in actuality, it is the seat of the government councilors that rotates since Tokelau has no capital

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral General Fono (20 seats apportioned by island - Atafu 7, Fakaofo 7, Nukunonu 6; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 3-year terms)
Elections: last held on 26 January 2023 depending on island (next to be held in January 2026)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 17, women 3, percentage women 15%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal (in New Zealand) (consists of the court president and 8 judges sitting in 3- or 5-judge panels, depending on the case)
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judges serve for life
Subordinate courts: High Court (in New Zealand); Council of Elders or Taupulega

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: PIF (associate member), 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 colors: blue, yellow, white

National anthem
Name: 'Te Atua' (For the Almighty)
Lyrics/music: unknown/Falani KALOLO
Note: adopted 2008; in preparation for eventual self governance, Tokelau held a national contest to choose an anthem; as a territory of New Zealand, in addition to 'God Defend New Zealand,' 'God Save the King' serves as a royal anthem (see United Kingdom); 'God Save the King' normally played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present; in all other cases, 'God Defend New Zealand' is played (see New Zealand)

National heritage


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Economy overview: small New Zealand territorial island economy; labor force can work in New Zealand or Australia; significant remittances; largely solar-powered infrastructure; reliant on New Zealand funding; stamp, coin, and crafts producer

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $7,711,583 (2017 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars.

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita: $6,004 (2017 est.); $4,855 (2016 est.); $4,292 (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, root vegetables, tropical fruits, pork, bananas, eggs, chicken, pork offal, pork fat, fruits (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: 1,100 (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2% (2015 est.)
Note: Underemployment may be as high as 6.6%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $24,324,473 (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $11,666,542 (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2020 est.); 2.5% (2019 est.); 11% (2017 est.)
Note: Tokelau notes that its wide inflation swings are due almost entirely to cigarette prices, a chief import.

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: $103,000 (2015 est.)
Partners: Poland 97%, Singapore 0%, Brazil 0%, South Africa 0%, Rwanda 0% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: cars, iron fasteners, garments, silver, perfumes (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $15,792,720 (2015 est.)
Partners: Germany 40%, Sweden 10%, Singapore 8%, France 5%, Netherlands 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: cars, orthopedic appliances, surveying equipment, butter, nuts (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 300 (2010 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2010 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

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
Total: 10 km (2019)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs