1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 10 sq km land area: 10 sq km comparative area: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Coastline
101 km
Environment
current issues: very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt international agreements: NA
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Terrain
coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births
Labor force
NA
Languages
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Nationality
noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
1,503 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
-1.3% (1995 est.)
Religions
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: 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
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
Digraph
TL
Diplomatic representation in US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag
the flag of New Zealand is used
Head of Government
Administrator Graham ANSELL (since NA 1990; appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand); Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ (since NA), Office of Tokelau Affairs; Tokelau's governing Council will elect its first head of government
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
unicameral Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll
Member of
SPC, WHO (associate)
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
National holiday
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand)
Political parties and leaders
NA
Suffrage
NA
Type
territory of New Zealand
US diplomatic representation
none (territory of New Zealand)
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops - breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Budget
revenues: $430,830 expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)
Currency
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $24 million
Electricity
capacity: 200 kW production: 300,000 kWh consumption per capita: 180 kWh (1990)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5601 (January 1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990)
Exports
$98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts partners: NZ
External debt
$0
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
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%
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
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
Radio
broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA
Telephone system
NA telephones local: NA intercity: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Western Samoa
Television
broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa
Highways
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Merchant marine
none
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand ________________________________________________________________________ TONGA