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.

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 S 172 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 10 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 10 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
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
Extremes 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 km²

Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt

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

Population: 1431 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: -0.92% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Tokelauan
Adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language) English

Religions
Note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

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/1000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population

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

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

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1000 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

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy: NA

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

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

International organization participation: SPC UNESCO (associate) 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 (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.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1000 (1993 est.)

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $430,830
Expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

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

Imports: $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)
Commodities: foodstuffs building materials fuel
Partners: NZ

Debt external: $0

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)

Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Production by source fossil fuel: NA%
Production by source hydro: NA%
Production by source other: NA%
Production by source nuclear: NA%
Consumption: NA kWh

Telephones
Main lines in use: NA
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

Internet
Country code: .tk
Service providers isps: 1 (2000)
Users: NA

Airports: none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2001)

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Disputes international: none