1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Coastline
101 km
Comparative area
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Disputes
none
Environment
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
10 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Natural resources
negligible
Note
located 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Terrain
coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
10 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
all Polynesian, with cultural ties to Western Samoa
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
NA
Languages
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language) and English
Life expectancy at birth
NA years male, NA years female (1992)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun - Tokelauan(s); adjective - Tokelauan
Net migration rate
NA migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
NA
Population
1,760 (July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)
Religions
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%; on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of New Zealand)
Capital
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Constitution
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970
Diplomatic representation
none (territory of New Zealand)
Elections
NA
Executive branch
British monarch, administrator (appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand), official secretary
Flag
the flag of New Zealand is used
Head of Government
Administrator Neil WALTER (since NA February 1988); Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ, Office of Tokelau Affairs
Independence
none (territory of New Zealand)
Judicial branch
High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand
Legal system
British and local statutes
Legislative branch
Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll
Long-form name
none
Member of
SPC
National holiday
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Suffrage
NA
Type
territory of New Zealand
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops - breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Budget
revenues $430,830; expenditures $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (FY87)
Currency
New Zealand dollar (plural - dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $24 million
Electricity
200 kW capacity; 300,000 kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.8245 (March 1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987)
Exports
$98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts partners: NZ
External debt
none
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, per capita $800; real growth rate NA% (1988 est.)
Imports
$323,400 (c.i.f., 1983) commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel partners: NZ
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Telecommunications
telephone service between islands and to Western Samoa
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand