Tokelau

Tokelau Population: 1,433
BackgroundOriginally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zland administration in 1925. Referenda held in 2006 and 2007 to change the status of the islands from that of a New Zland territory to one of free association with New Zland did not meet the needed threshold for approval.Map data ©2009 Europa Technologies - Terms of Use
GeographyConsists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), ch with a lagoon surrounded by a of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above s level.Loion:Ocnia, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocn, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New ZlandGeographic coordinates:9 00 S, 172 00 WAr:total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq kmSize comparison: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:0 kmCoastline:101 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmClimate:tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)Terrain:low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoonsElevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocn 0 m
highest point: unnamed loion 5 mNatural resources:NEGLLand use:arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)Irrigated land:NANatural hazards:lies in Pacific typhoon beltCurrent Environment Issues:limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zland
PeoplePopulation:1,433 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 42%
15-64 yrs: 53%
65 yrs and over: 5%Median age:
Population growth rate:-0.011% (2008 est.)Birth rate:NA (2008 est.)Dth rate:NA (2008 est.)Net migration rate:NA (2008 est.)Sex ratio:NAInfant mortality rate:total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:NA (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NAHIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NAHIV/AIDS - dths:NANationality:noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: TokelauanEthnic groups:PolynesianReligions:Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman holic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman holic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominantLanguages:Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), EnglishLiteracy:NA
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: none
conventional short form: TokelauGovernment type:NACapital:none; ch atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)Administrative divisions:none (territory of New Zland)Independence:none (territory of New Zland)National holiday:Waitangi Day (Trty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zland), 6 February (1840)Constitution:administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970Legal system:New Zland and local statutesSuffrage:21 yrs of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor eral of New Zland Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zland is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
hd of government: Pio TUIA (since 23 February 2008); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village lders)
cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village lders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zland; the hd of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-yr termLegislative branch:unicameral eral Fono (20 sts; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-yr terms; Atafu has seven sts, Fakaofo has seven sts, Nukunonu has six sts); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the eral Fono
elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: independents 20Judicial branch:Supreme Court in New Zland exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in TokelauPolitical parties and lders:nonePolitical pressure groups and lders:noneInternational organization participation:PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPUDiplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of New Zland)Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of New Zland)
EconomyTokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources grtly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely hvily on aid from New Zland - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially grter 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 Zland.GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.5 million (1993 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$NAGDP - rl growth rate:NA%GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,000 (1993 est.)GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%Labor force:440 (2001)Labor force - by occupation:
Unemployment rate:NA%Population below poverty line:NA%Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%Budget:revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.)Agriculture - products:
Industries:small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishingIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:NA kWhElectricity - consumption:NA kWhExports:$0 (2002)Exports - commodities:stamps, copra, handicraftsImports:$969,200 c.i.f. (2002)Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, building materials, fuelDebt - external:
Currency ():New Zland dollar (NZD)Exchange rates:New Zland dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)Fiscal yr:1 April - 31 March
CommuniionsTele in use:300 (2002)Cellular in use:
Telephone system:eral assessment: modern satellite-based communiions system
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: country - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite rth stations - 3Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002)Television broadcast stations:
Internet country :.tkInternet hosts:273 (2008)Internet users:NA
TransportationRoadways:
Ports and terminals:none; offshore anchorage only
MilitaryDefense is the responsibility of New Zland