Tokelau

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. 

land

12 sq km

total

12 sq km

water

0 sq km

about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

101 km

highest point

unnamed location 5 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

9 00 S, 172 00 W

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

0 sq km (2022)

total

0 km

agricultural land

60% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 60% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

40% (2018 est.)

Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Oceania

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

lies in Pacific cyclone belt

fish

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

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

men married by age 18

2.8% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

0.4%

women married by age 18

10.1%

52% (2023 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

13.4

potential support ratio

7.5 (2021)

total dependency ratio

60.4

youth dependency ratio

47

improved: rural

rural: 99.7% of population

improved: total

total: 99.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 0% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

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.)

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

note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

adjective

Tokelauan

noun

Tokelauan(s)

-3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

total

1,647 (2019 est.)

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

-0.01% (2019 est.)

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

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

rate of urbanization

0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

0% of total population (2023)

none (territory of New Zealand)

note

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

time difference

UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

see New Zealand

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

history

many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948)

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Tokelau

etymology

"tokelau" is a Polynesian word meaning "north wind"

former

Union Islands, Tokelau Islands

self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN-sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not meet the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status

none (territory of New Zealand)

none (territory of New Zealand)

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)

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)

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

head of government

(Ulu o Tokelau) Alapati TAVITE (since 12 March 2024)

note

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

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

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

none (territory of New Zealand)

PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

highest court(s)

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

common law system of New Zealand

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 17, women 3, percentage women 15%

elections

last held on 26 January 2023 depending on island (next to be held in January 2026)

lyrics/music

unknown/Falani KALOLO

name

"Te Atua" (For the Almighty)

note

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)

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

tuluma (fishing tackle box); national colors: blue, yellow, white

none

21 years of age; universal

coconuts, root vegetables, tropical fruits, pork, bananas, eggs, chicken, pork offal, pork fat, fruits (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$11,666,542 (2017 est.)

revenues

$24,324,473 (2017 est.)

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

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

1.518 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exports 2015

$103,000 (2015 est.)

cars, iron fasteners, garments, silver, perfumes (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Poland 97%, Singapore 0%, Brazil 0%, South Africa 0%, Rwanda 0% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$12.658 million (2017 est.)

note

note: data uses New Zealand Dollar (NZD) as the currency of exchange.

Imports 2015

$15,792,720 (2015 est.)

cars, orthopedic appliances, surveying equipment, butter, nuts (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 40%, Sweden 10%, Singapore 8%, France 5%, Netherlands 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

11% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.5% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

4% (2020 est.)

note

note: Tokelau notes that its wide inflation swings are due almost entirely to cigarette prices, a chief import.

1,100 (2019 est.)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars.

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$7,711,583 (2017 est.)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2015

$4,292 (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2016

$4,855 (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2017

$6,004 (2017 est.)

note

note: Underemployment may be as high as 6.6%

Unemployment rate 2015

2% (2015 est.)

Sky TV access for around 30% of the population; each atoll operates a radio service that provides shipping news and weather reports (2019)

.tk

percent of population

58.3% (2021 est.)

total

800 (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is 0 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

a new submarine cable between New Zealand and Tokelau will provide high speed, reliable internet to Tokelau for the first time; due for completion in 2022, this will provide Tokelau with affordable, high quality internet and telecommunications, and better, more effective access to digital services and platforms (2021)

international

country code - 690; landing point for the Southern Cross NEXT submarine cable linking Australia, Tokelau, Samoa, Kiribati, Fiji, New Zealand and Los Angeles, CA (USA); radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite earth stations - 3 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2010 est.)

total subscriptions

300 (2010 est.)

total

10 km (2019)

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

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

agricultural land

60% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 60% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

40% (2018 est.)

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

rate of urbanization

0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

0% of total population (2023)