ARCHIVE // TK // 1993
Tokelau
1993 Edition — territory
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Communications
Airports
[time series]
none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa
Ports
[time series]
none; offshore anchorage only
Telecommunication systems
(Telecommunications)
[time series]
radiotelephone service between islands and to Western Samoa
Defense Forces
Note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops - breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Budget
[time series]
revenues $430,830; expenditures $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (FY87)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
[time series]
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $24 million
Electricity
[time series]
200 kW capacity; 300,000 kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
[time series]
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9486 (January 1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988)
Exports
[time series]
$98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts partners: NZ
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$0
Fiscal year
[time series]
1 April-31 March
Imports
[time series]
$323,400 (c.i.f., 1983) commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel partners: NZ
Industrial production growth rate
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate NA%
Industries
[time series]
small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
NA%
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(National product)
[time series]
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million (1988 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$800 (1988 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(National product real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Economic overview
(Overview)
[time series]
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
[time series]
NA%
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 10 km2 land area: 10 km2 comparative area: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Coastline
[time series]
101 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
NA km2
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
[time series]
Oceania, 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references
[time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims
[time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
[time series]
negligible
Terrain
[time series]
coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
Capital
[time series]
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Constitution
[time series]
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970
Digraph
[time series]
TL
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
Executive branch
(Elections)
[time series]
NA
Executive branch
[time series]
British monarch, administrator (appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand), official secretary
Flag
[time series]
the flag of New Zealand is used
Independence
[time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
Judicial branch
[time series]
High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand
Executive branch
(Leaders)
[time series]
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Administrator Graham ANSELL (since NA 1990); Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ (since NA), Office of Tokelau Affairs; Tokelau's governing Council will elect its first head of government in 1993
Legal system
[time series]
British and local statutes
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
SPC, WHO (associate)
Country name
(Names)
[time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
National holiday
[time series]
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
NA
Suffrage
[time series]
NA
Government type
(Type)
[time series]
territory of New Zealand
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
People
Birth rate
[time series]
NA births/1,000 population
Death rate
[time series]
NA deaths/1,000 population
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
Polynesian
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
NA deaths/1,000 live births
Labor force
[time series]
NA
Languages
[time series]
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Literacy
[time series]
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan
Net migration rate
[time series]
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
[time series]
1,544 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
-1.35% (1993 est.)
Religions
[time series]
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
[time series]
NA children born/woman