1996 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1996 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Description
the flag of New Zealand is used
Location
9 00 S, 172 00 W -- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Flag ----
Geography
Area
- comparative area
- about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
- land area
- 10 sq km
- total area
- 10 sq km
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
- international agreements
- NA
- natural hazards
- lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Geographic coordinates
9 00 S, 172 00 W
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- forest and woodland
- 0%
- meadows and pastures
- 0%
- other
- 100%
- permanent crops
- 0%
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
NEGL
Terrain
- coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
- highest point
- unnamed location 5 m
- lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
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
Languages
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- NA years
- male
- NA years
- total population
- NA years
Nationality
- adjective
- Tokelauan
- noun
- Tokelauan(s)
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
1,482 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate
-1.35% (1996 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
Sex ratio
- all ages
- NA male(s)/female
- at birth
- NA male(s)/female
- under 15 years
- NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of New Zealand)
Capital
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Constitution
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970
Data code
TL
Diplomatic representation in US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Executive branch
- chief of state
- Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch; the queen and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993) who was appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand
- head of government
- Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ (since NA), Tokelau Apia Liaison Office
Flag
the flag of New Zealand is used
General Fono
seats - (45 total, 15 chosen by each of the three atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega)
Independence
none (territory of New Zealand)
International organization participation
SPC, WHO (associate)
Judicial branch
High Court in Niue; Supreme Court in New Zealand
Legal system
British and local statutes
Legislative branch
unicameral
Name of country
- 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
none
Suffrage
NA
Type of government
territory of New Zealand
US diplomatic representation
none (territory of New Zealand)
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Budget
- expenditures
- $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)
- revenues
- $430,830
Currency
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
- recipient
- ODA, $NA
Economic overview
Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand to maintain public services, annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.
Electricity
- capacity
- 200 kW
- consumption per capita
- 180 kWh (1990)
- production
- 300,000 kWh
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5138 (January 1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991)
Exports
- $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983)
- commodities
- stamps, copra, handicrafts
- partners
- NZ
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP composition by sector
- agriculture
- NA%
- industry
- NA%
- services
- NA%
GDP per capita
$1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP real growth rate
NA%
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%
Labor force
NA
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Defense note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Radio broadcast stations
- AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
- note
- each atoll has a radio broadcast station of NA type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports
Radios
1,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
- domestic
- radiotelephone service between islands
- international
- radiotelephone service to Western Samoa
Telephones
NA
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
NA Defense
Transportation
Airports
none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa
Highways
- paved
- NA km
- total
- NA km
- unpaved
- NA km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Railways
0 km