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.

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 10 km²
Land: 10 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101 km
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain: coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

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

Population: 1,544 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: -1.35% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Tokelauan(s)
Adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

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

Population growth rate: -1.35% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population

Environment
Current issues: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1000 live births
Total population: NA years
Male: NA years
Female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Tokelau

Government type: territory of New Zealand

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, 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

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch: British monarch, administrator (appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand), official secretary

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

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

International organization participation: SPC, WHO (associate)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of New Zealand)
From the us: none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used

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 growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $800 (1988 est.)

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: growth rate NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $430,830; expenditures $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (FY87)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

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

Imports: $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983)
Partners: NZ

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9486 (January 1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988)

Electricity
Production: 200 kW capacity; 300,000 kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)

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

Disputes international: none