2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (territory of New Zealand)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Airports

none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2002) Military Tokelau

Area

land

10 sq km

total

10 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Background

Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. Geography Tokelau

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)

revenues

$430,830

Capital

none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Coastline

101 km

Constitution

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Tokelau

Currency

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code

NZD

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$0

Dependency status

self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of New Zealand)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Economy - overview

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with 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 - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location 5 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)

Executive branch

cabinet

the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders - one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term

head of government

Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002)

Exports

$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities

stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners

NZ (2000)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Tokelau

Flag description

the flag of New Zealand is used Economy Tokelau

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Geographic coordinates

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Geography - note

consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level People Tokelau

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners

NZ (2000)

Independence

none (territory of New Zealand)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

NA%

male

NA%

total

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

International organization participation

SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)

Internet country code

.tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Tokelau

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Labor force

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0% (soil is thin and infertile)

other

100% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Legal system

New Zealand and local statutes

Legislative branch

unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono

Life expectancy at birth

female

70 years (2003 est.)

male

68 years

total population

NA years

Literacy

NA Government Tokelau

Location

Oceania, group of three atolls 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

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand Transnational Issues Tokelau

National holiday

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

Nationality

adjective

Tokelauan

noun

Tokelauan(s)

Natural hazards

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Natural resources

NEGL

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

1,418 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.01% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

note

each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Radios

1,000 (1997)

Railways

0 km

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

NA (2003 est.)

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

radiotelephone service between islands

general assessment

adequate

international

radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (2001)

Terrain

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Waterways

none