Background: Tokelau is composed of three atolls (Fakaofo, Atafu, and Nukunonu), and it was first settled by Polynesians around A.D. 1000. The atolls operated relatively independently, but Fakaofo Atoll eventually subjugated the others. British explorers first saw the atolls in 1765 and 1791. Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in the 1840s and converted the population on the islands on which they landed. In 1863 Peruvian slave raiders abducted many islanders, and roughly contemporary outbreaks of disease reduced the population to about 200. Settlers of diverse nationalities subsequently intermarried with Tokelauans. In the same period, local governance moved to a system based on a Council of Elders, which still exists today. British interest began in the late 1870s, and Tokelau became a British protectorate in 1889, and in 1916 under the name Union Group, Tokelau became part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. In 1925, the UK placed Tokelau under New Zealand administration. The Tokelau Islands Act of 1948 formally transferred sovereignty from the UK to New Zealand, and Tokelauans were granted New Zealand citizenship. In 1979, the US relinquished its claim to Tokelau in the Treaty of Tokehega, and Tokelau relinquished its claim to Swains Island, which is part of American Samoa. Economic opportunities in Tokelau are sparse, and about 80% of Tokelauans live in New Zealand. Tokelau held self-governance referendums in 2006 and 2007 in which more than 60% of voters chose free association with New Zealand; however, the referendums failed to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to enact a status change.

Area
Total: 12 km²
Land: 12 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 0% (2022 est.)
Other: 40% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

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 (10 ft) above sea level

Population
Total: 2,453 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,201 (2024 est.)
Female: 1,252 (2024 est.)
Distribution: the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls
Growth rate: -0.01% (2019 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.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2024)
Youth dependency ratio: 40 (2024)
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.6 (2024)
Potential support ratio: 7.9 (2024)

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

Population distribution: the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls

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

Drinking water source
Rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

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

Legal system: common law system of New Zealand

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) Esera Fofō Filipo Tuisano TUISANO (since 17 March 2025)
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)
Election/appointment process: 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, but Tokelau has no capital

Legislative branch
Legislature name: General Fono (Fono Fakamua)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 20
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 3 years
Most recent election date: 26 January 2023
Parties elected and seats per party: independents (20)
Percentage of women in chamber: 15%
Expected date of next election: January 2026

Flag description: a stylized yellow Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward four white five-pointed stars on the left side

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: official anthem, as a territory of New Zealand; normally played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present

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

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

Exports
Commodities: cars, telephones, garments, iron fasteners, fabric (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports
Commodities: integrated circuits, stone processing machines, refined petroleum, gas turbines, plastic products (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

Internet
Users percent of population: 58.3% (2021 est.)