Tokelau

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of NA type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports

Radios

1,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Western Samoa

Telephones

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Budget

revenues: $430,830 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.)

Currency

1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$0

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $3.7 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - capacity

NA kW

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.4247 (January 1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992)

Exports

total value: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts partners: NZ

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value : $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983) commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel partners: NZ

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Inflation rate - consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

NA

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 10 sq km land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Coastline

101 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Environment - current issues

very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Environment - international agreements

party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Administrative divisions

none (territory of New Zealand)

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form : Tokelau

Data code

TL

Dependency status

territory of New Zealand

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of New Zealand)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993) head of government: Official Secretary Brian LAWRENCE (since NA) cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of the elected leaders from each atoll, functions as a cabinet elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand

Flag description

the flag of New Zealand is used

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of New Zealand)

International organization participation

SPC, WHO (associate)

Judicial branch

High Court in Niue; Supreme Court in New Zealand

Legal system

British and local statutes

Legislative branch

unicameral General Fono (45 seats - 15 from each of the three atolls; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega who meet together twice a year)

National capital

none; each atoll has its own administrative center

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

21 years of age

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over : NA

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Nationality

noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

1,463 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.35% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Disputes - international

none TONGA

Airports

none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Railways

0 km