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.

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 S 172 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 12 km²
Land: 12 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 242
Comparative: about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington DC

Land boundaries: 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Agricultural land: 60%
Forest: 0%
Other: 40%

Irrigated land: NA

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

Population: 1337 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 234
Growth rate: -0.01% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 200
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Tokelauan
Adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups: Tokelauan 65.3% part Tokelauan/Samoan 8.7% part Tokelauan/Tuvaluan 6.9% part Tokelauan/other Pacific islander 1.9% part Tokelauan/European 1% Samoan 6.7% Tuvaluan 2.8% other Pacific islander 1.1% other 5.1% unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.)

Languages: Tokelauan 93.5% (a Polynesian language) English 58.9% Samoan 45.5% Tuvaluan 11.6% Kiribati 2.7% other 2.5% none 4.1% unspecified 0.6%
Ntoe: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Religions: Congregational Christian Church 58.2% Roman Catholic 36.6% Presbyterian 1.8% other Christian 2.8% Spiritualism and New Age 0.1% unspecified 0.5% (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2014 est.)
Rank: 200

Urbanization
Urban population: 0% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change

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

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

Drinking water source:

Sanitation facility access:

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

Education expenditures: NA

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

Government type: NA

Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Time difference: UTC+13

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: many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948); amended many times last in 2007 (2015)

Legal system: common law system of New Zealand

Citizenship: see New Zealand

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Jonathan KINGS (since February 2011)
Head of government: Siopili PEREZ ; note - position rotates annually among the 3 Faipule (village leaders)
Cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 Faipule and 3 Pulenuku (village mayors)
Electionsappointments: 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

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral General Fono ; note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power to the General Fono
Elections: last held on 23 January 2014
Election results: independent 20

Judicial branch
Highest court: Court of Appeal in New Zealand
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 (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'
Lyrics and 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 'God Defend New Zealand' and 'God Save the Queen' are official

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 $15 million annually in FY12/13 and FY13/14 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An international trust fund currently worth nearly $32 million was established in 2004 by New Zealand 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: 230

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $1000 (1993 est.)
Rank: 224

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
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

Labor force: 440 (2001)
Rank: 232

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $430,800
Expenditures: $2.8 million

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Exports: $0 (2002)
Rank: 223
Commodities: stamps copra handicrafts

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

Exchange rates:

Petroleum
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 196

Telephone system
General assessment: modern satellite-based communications system
Domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
International: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service ; 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
Users total: 800
Users percent of population: 55.4%
Users rank: 215

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

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