Tokelau

territory of New ZealandIndependence none (territory of New Zealand)

Tokelau as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 61 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

Capitalnone, each atoll has its own administrative center

Area10 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1,700 people July 1991 · 1,700 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition -1.35% in 1993

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $800 in 1993

Geography

10 fields

Total area

10km2

land area: 10 km2Comparative area: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Coastline

101 km Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Land use

arable land 0%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 0%;
forest and woodland 0%;
other 100%

Note

located 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

People

14 fields

Population

1,700

(July 1991), growth rate 0.0% (1991)

Nationality

noun--Tokelauan(s); adjective--Tokelauan

Ethnic divisions

all Polynesian, with cultural ties to Western Samoa

Religion

Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%;
on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa;
on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic;
on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Language

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language) and English

Government

Territory of New Zealand

17 fields

Capital

none, each atoll has its own administrative center

Constitution

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970

National holiday

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Executive branch

administrator (appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand), official secretary

Legislative branch

Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll

Judicial branch

High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government--Administrator Neil WALTER;
Official Secretary M. NORRISH, Office of Tokelau Affairs

Economy

Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.4million

per capita $800; real growth rate NA% (1988 est.)

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.