Communications: 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)
Communications: Internet country code
.tk
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
58.3% (2021 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
22 (2010 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
300 (2010 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
coconuts, root vegetables, tropical fruits, pork, bananas, eggs, chicken (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$11,666,542 (2017 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$24,324,473 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
1.542 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
1.414 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
1.577 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
1.628 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
1.652 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
cars, telephones, garments, iron fasteners, fabric (2023)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$12.658 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, stone processing machines, refined petroleum, gas turbines, plastic products (2023)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
11% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
2.5% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
4% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$7,711,583 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$4,292 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$4,855 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$6,004 (2017 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Environment: Environmental issues
overfishing; damage to forest resources; pollution of freshwater and coastal waters from improper disposal of chemicals
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
60% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
0% (2022 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
40% (2023 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
0% of total population (2023)
Geography: Area - comparative
about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Geography: Area: land
12 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
101 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
unnamed location 5 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
9 00 S, 172 00 W
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
60% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 60% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
0% (2022 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
40% (2023 est.)
Geography: Map references
Oceania
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
lies in Pacific cyclone belt
Geography: Population distribution
the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls
Geography: Terrain
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship
see New Zealand
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono
Government: Constitution: history
many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Act 1948 of New Zealand)
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Tokelau
Government: Country name: 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: Country name: former
Union Islands, Tokelau Islands
Government: 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
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of New Zealand)
Government: Executive branch: 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)
Government: 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)
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: head of government
(Ulu o Tokelau) Esera Fofล Filipo Tuisano TUISANO (since 17 March 2025)
Government: Flag
description: a stylized yellow Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward four white five-pointed stars on the left side meaning: 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
Government: International organization participation
PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
High Court (in New Zealand); Council of Elders or Taupulega
Government: Legal system
common law system of New Zealand
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
January 2026
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
General Fono (Fono Fakamua)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
26 January 2023
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
20
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
independents (20)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
15%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
3 years
Government: National anthem(s): 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
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
unknown
Government: National color(s)
blue, yellow, white
Government: National holiday
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840)
Government: National symbol(s)
tuluma (fishing tackle box)
Government: Political parties
none
Government: Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
12.6 (2024)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
7.9 (2024)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
52.7 (2024)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
40 (2024)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: 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.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
100% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
100% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
100% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Tokelauan
People and Society: Net migration rate
-3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
People and Society: Physician density
1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
People and Society: Population distribution
the small population is fairly evenly distributed among the three atolls
People and Society: Population growth rate
-0.01% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
1,252 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: male
1,201 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
0% of total population (2023)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.