ARCHIVE // TK // 2005

Tokelau

2005 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.tk
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
0 (2001)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Budget [time series]
revenues: $430,800 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Debt - external [time series]
$0
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
from New Zealand about $4 million annually
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - production [time series]
NA kWh
Exchange rates [time series]
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)
Exports [time series]
$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)
Exports - commodities [time series]
stamps, copra, handicrafts
Exports - partners [time series]
New Zealand (2000)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 April - 31 March
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports [time series]
$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)
Imports - commodities [time series]
foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Imports - partners [time series]
New Zealand (2000)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Labor force [time series]
NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 10 sq km land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
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
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates [time series]
9 00 S, 172 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
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
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile) permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Location [time series]
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Natural resources [time series]
NEGL
Terrain [time series]
low-lying 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; amended in 1970
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status [time series]
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 [time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
Executive branch [time series]
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
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of New Zealand is used
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (territory of New Zealand)
International organization participation [time series]
UNESCO (associate), UPU
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau
Legal system [time series]
New Zealand and local statutes
Legislative branch [time series]
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)
National holiday [time series]
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
none
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
none
Suffrage [time series]
21 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
NA
Death rate [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
Polynesian
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: NA male: NA female: NA
Languages [time series]
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: NA male: -9 years female: -9 years (2005 est.)
Literacy [time series]
NA
Nationality [time series]
noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan
Net migration rate [time series]
NA
Population [time series]
1,405 (July 2005 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
-0.01% (2005 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
Sex ratio [time series]
NA
Total fertility rate [time series]
NA
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
none; offshore anchorage only