|
|
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. |
|
Location: |
Oceania, group of three
atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii
to New Zealand |
|
Geographic
coordinates: |
9 00 S, 172 00 W
|
|
Map
references: |
Oceania |
|
Area: |
total:
10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area -
comparative: |
about 17 times the size of
The Mall in Washington, DC |
|
Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
|
Coastline: |
101 km |
|
Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
|
Climate: |
tropical; moderated by
trade winds (April to November) |
|
Terrain: |
low-lying coral atolls
enclosing large lagoons |
|
Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
|
Natural
resources: |
NEGL |
|
Land use: |
arable land:
0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001) |
|
Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
|
Natural
hazards: |
lies in Pacific typhoon
belt |
|
Environment -
current issues: |
very limited natural
resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
|
|
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 |
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Population: |
1,405 (July 2005 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years:
42%
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.) |
|
Population
growth rate: |
-0.01% (2005 est.)
|
|
Birth rate: |
NA |
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Death rate: |
NA |
|
Net migration
rate: |
NA |
|
Sex ratio: |
NA |
|
Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
|
Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA
male: -9 years
female: -9 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total
fertility rate: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS -
adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
NA |
|
Nationality: |
noun:
Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Polynesian |
|
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 |
|
Languages: |
Tokelauan (a Polynesian
language), English |
|
Literacy: |
NA |
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
|
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 |
|
Government
type: |
NA |
|
Capital: |
none; each atoll has its
own administrative center |
|
Administrative
divisions: |
none (territory of New
Zealand) |
|
Independence: |
none (territory of New
Zealand) |
|
National
holiday: |
Waitangi Day (Treaty of
Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February
(1840) |
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Constitution: |
administered under the
Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
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Legal system: |
New Zealand and local
statutes |
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Suffrage: |
21 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor
General of New Zealand Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New
Zealand is represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); note - position
rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)
cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,
consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village
mayors) functions as a cabinet
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 |
|
Legislative
branch: |
unicameral General Fono (21
seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats,
Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act
of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)
|
|
Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court in New
Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
|
Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
|
International
organization participation: |
UNESCO (associate), UPU
|
|
Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (territory of New
Zealand) |
|
Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (territory of New
Zealand) |
|
Flag
description: |
the flag of New Zealand is
used |
|
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. |
|
GDP
(purchasing power parity): |
$1.5 million (1993 est.)
|
|
GDP - real
growth rate: |
NA |
|
GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$1,000 (1993 est.) |
|
GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
|
Labor force: |
NA |
|
Unemployment
rate: |
NA% |
|
Population
below poverty line: |
NA |
|
Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%: NA |
|
Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
NA% |
|
Budget: |
revenues:
$430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$37,300 (1987 est.) |
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Agriculture -
products: |
coconuts, copra,
breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats |
|
Industries: |
small-scale enterprises for
copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
|
|
Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
|
Electricity -
production: |
NA kWh |
|
Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity -
consumption: |
NA kWh |
|
Exports: |
$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)
|
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Exports -
commodities: |
stamps, copra, handicrafts
|
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Exports -
partners: |
New Zealand (2000)
|
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Imports: |
$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)
|
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Imports -
commodities: |
foodstuffs, building
materials, fuel |
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Imports -
partners: |
New Zealand (2000)
|
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Debt -
external: |
$0 |
|
Economic aid -
recipient: |
from New Zealand about $4
million annually |
|
Currency
(code): |
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
|
|
Currency code: |
NZD |
|
Exchange
rates: |
New Zealand dollars per US
dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001),
2.2012 (2000) |
|
Fiscal year: |
1 April - 31 March
|
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
300 (2002) |
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
0 (2001) |
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Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
modern satellite-based communications system;
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth
stations, established in 1997 |
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Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)
|
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Radios: |
1,000 (1997) |
|
Internet
country code: |
.tk |
|
Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
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Internet
users: |
NA |
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Highways: |
total:
NA
paved: NA
unpaved: NA |
|
Ports and
harbors: |
none; offshore anchorage
only |
|
Airports: |
none; lagoon landings are
possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.) |
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Military -
note: |
defense is the
responsibility of New Zealand |
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Transnational Issues |
Tokelau |
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Disputes -
international: |
none |
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