Tokelau
Tokelau
- Background
- Tokelau is composed of three atolls (Fakaofo, Atafu, and Nukunonu), and it was first settled by Polynesians around A.D. 1000. The atolls operated relatively independently, but Fakaofo Atoll eventually subjugated the others. British explorers first saw the atolls in 1765 and 1791. Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in the 1840s and converted the population on the islands on which they landed.In 1863 Peruvian slave raiders abducted many islanders, and roughly contemporary outbreaks of disease reduced the population to about 200. Settlers of diverse nationalities subsequently intermarried with Tokelauans. In the same period, local governance moved to a system based on a Council of Elders, which still exists today. British interest began in the late 1870s, and Tokelau became a British protectorate in 1889, and in 1916 under the name Union Group, Tokelau became part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. In 1925, the UK placed Tokelau under New Zealand administration. The Tokelau Islands Act of 1948 formally transferred sovereignty from the UK to New Zealand, and Tokelauans were granted New Zealand citizenship. In 1979, the US relinquished its claim to Tokelau in the Treaty of Tokehega, and Tokelau relinquished its claim to Swains Island, which is part of American Samoa.Economic opportunities in Tokelau are sparse, and about 80% of Tokelauans live in New Zealand. Tokelau held self-governance referendums in 2006 and 2007 in which more than 60% of voters chose free association with New Zealand; however, the referendums failed to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to enact a status change.
- 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: 12 sq km
land: 12 sq km
water: 0 sq km - Area - comparative
- about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Land boundaries
- total: 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
- highest point: unnamed location 5 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m - Natural resources
- fish
- Land use
- agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 0% (2022 est.)
other: 40% (2023 est.) - Irrigated land
- 0 sq km (2022)
- Population distribution
- the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls
- Natural hazards
- lies in Pacific cyclone belt
- Geography - note
- consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m (10 ft) above sea level
- Population
- total: 2,453 (2024 est.)
male: 1,201 (2024 est.)
female: 1,252 (2024 est.) - Nationality
- noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan - Ethnic groups
- Tokelauan 64.5%, part Tokelauan/Samoan 9.7%, part Tokelauan/Tuvaluan 2.8%, Tuvaluan 7.5%, Samoan 5.8%, other Pacific Islander 3.4%, other 5.6%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.)
- Languages
- Tokelauan 88.1% (a Polynesian language), English 48.6%, Samoan 26.7%, Tuvaluan 11.2%, Kiribati 1.5%, other 2.8%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 ests.)
- Religions
- Congregational Christian Church 50.4%, Roman Catholic 38.7%, Presbyterian 5.9%, other Christian 4.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est.)
- Dependency ratios
- total dependency ratio: 52.7 (2024)
youth dependency ratio: 40 (2024)
elderly dependency ratio: 12.6 (2024)
potential support ratio: 7.9 (2024) - Population growth rate
- -0.01% (2019 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Population distribution
- the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls
- Urbanization
- urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) - Drinking water source
- improved: rural: rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.) - Physician density
- 1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
- Sanitation facility access
- improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.) - Literacy
- total population: 100% (2022 est.)
male: 100% (2022 est.)
female: 100% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- overfishing; damage to forest resources; pollution of freshwater and coastal waters from improper disposal of chemicals
- Climate
- tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
- Land use
- agricultural land: 60% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 0% (2022 est.)
other: 40% (2023 est.) - Urbanization
- urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- Country name
- conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau
former: Union Islands, Tokelau Islands
etymology: the name comes from the Polynesian word tokelau, meaning "north wind;" the name "Tokelau Islands" was adopted in 1946, and the shortened form in 1976 - Government type
- parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Dependency status
- Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand and part of the Realm of New Zealand; Tokelau has its own political institutions, judicial system, public services (including telecommunications and shipping), and budget control
- Capital
- time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
- Legal system
- common law system of New Zealand
- Constitution
- history: many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Act 1948 of New Zealand)
amendment process: proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono - Citizenship
- see New Zealand
- Suffrage
- 21 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 September 2021); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Don HIGGINS (since June 2022)
head of government: (Ulu o Tokelau) Esera Fofō Filipo Tuisano TUISANO (since 17 March 2025)
cabinet: Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau (or Tokelau Council) functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 village leaders (Faipule) and 3 village mayors (Pulenuku)
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; head of government chosen from the Council of Faipule to serve a 1-year term - Legislative branch
- legislature name: General Fono (Fono Fakamua)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 20
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 3 years
most recent election date: 26 January 2023
parties elected and seats per party: independents (20)
percentage of women in chamber: 15%
expected date of next election: January 2026 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Court of Appeal (in New Zealand) (consists of the court president and 8 judges sitting in 3- or 5-judge panels, depending on the case)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judges serve for life
subordinate courts: High Court (in New Zealand); Council of Elders or Taupulega - Political parties
- none
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (territory of New Zealand)
- Diplomatic representation from the US
- none (territory of New Zealand)
- International organization participation
- PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
- Independence
- none (territory of New Zealand)
- National holiday
- Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840)
- Flag
- description: a stylized yellow Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward four white five-pointed stars on the left sidemeaning: the stars are the Southern Cross constellation and represent the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture; the stars and canoe together symbolize the country navigating into the future; yellow stands for happiness and peace, and blue for the ocean
- National symbol(s)
- tuluma (fishing tackle box)
- National color(s)
- blue, yellow, white
- National anthem(s)
- title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a territory of New Zealand; normally played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present
- Economic overview
- small New Zealand territorial island economy; labor force can work in New Zealand or Australia; significant remittances; largely solar-powered infrastructure; reliant on New Zealand funding; stamp, coin, and crafts producer
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017: $7,711,583 (2017 est.)
- Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2017: $6,004 (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2016: $4,855 (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2015: $4,292 (2015 est.) - GDP (official exchange rate)
- $12.658 million (2017 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: 4% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019: 2.5% (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 11% (2017 est.) - Agricultural products
- coconuts, root vegetables, tropical fruits, pork, bananas, eggs, chicken (2023)
- Industries
- small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
- Budget
- revenues: $24,324,473 (2017 est.)
expenditures: $11,666,542 (2017 est.) - Exports - partners
- Czechia 92%, Singapore 2%, Brazil 1%, South Africa 1%, Sri Lanka 1% (2023)
- Exports - commodities
- cars, telephones, garments, iron fasteners, fabric (2023)
- Imports - partners
- Samoa 31%, Italy 23%, France 21%, Netherlands 16%, Germany 2% (2023)
- Imports - commodities
- integrated circuits, stone processing machines, refined petroleum, gas turbines, plastic products (2023)
- Exchange rates
- Currency: New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 1.652 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1.628 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1.577 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 1.414 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 1.542 (2020 est.)
- Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions: 300 (2010 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2010 est.) - Broadcast media
- Sky TV access for about a third of the population; each atoll operates a radio service with shipping news and weather reports (2019)
- Internet country code
- .tk
- Internet users
- percent of population: 58.3% (2021 est.)
- Military - note
- defense is the responsibility of New Zealand