Tokelau

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.

0-14 years:

42%

15-64 years:

53%

65 years and over:

5% (2006 est.)

total:

NA

male:

NA

female:

NA

total population:

NA

male:

NA

female:

NA

noun:

Tokelauan(s)

adjective:

Tokelauan

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Tokelau

• self-administering territory of New Zealand;
• note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand;
• a UN sponsored referendum on self-governance, in February 2006, did not produce the two thirds majority vote necessary for changing the current political status

chief of state:

• Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006);
• New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)

head of government:

Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); 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

• 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 2005 (next to be held January 2008)

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.

agriculture:

NA%

industry:

NA%

services:

NA%

• coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas;
• pigs, poultry, goats;
• fish

• small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods;
• stamps, coins;
• fishing

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