Pacific Magazine > 2007 Pacific Almanac
Tokelau
The Basics
Population: 1,466 (2006 census)
Capital: None; each atoll has its own administrative center
Land Area: 12 sq. km.
Political Status and Form of Government: Self-administering territory of New Zealand.
Languages: Tokelauan, English
Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Number of Islands: 3 atolls
The Numbers
Gross Domestic Product: US$1.5 million (1993 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: US$612 (UN)
Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: NA
National Budget: NZ $10.5 million (US$7.2 million) (2004/05 UN)
Aid per capita: For the 2007-2010 period New Zealand will provide NZ$43 million (US$33.25million). Aid consists of about 80% of Tokelau’s recurrent budget. Tokelau trust fund currently stands at over NZ$25 million
Life Expectancy: Male: 69 years (2004 est.) Female: 69 years (2004 est.)
Ethnicity: Polynesian
Nationality: Tokelauan
Age Distribution:0-14 years: 42%, 15-64 years: 53%, 65+: 5% (2006 est.
Population Growth Rate: -0.01% (2005 est.)
People in Power
Head of Government: Kolonei O’Brien is Ulu for 2006
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Cabinet Members: David Payton, Administrator of Tokelau; Faipule Kuresa Nasau, Ulu-o-Tokelau; Faipule Pio Iosefa Tuia, Minister for Health, Support Services; Faipule of Fakaofo, Failpule Kolouei O’Brien, Finance, Transport and Public Utilities.
Representative Body: Faipule act as head of their respective villages.
Collectively they form the Council for Ongoing Government (equivalent to Cabinet), which is chaired by the Ulu o Tokelau (titular head of Tokelau). The position of Ulu rotates amongst the three Faipule on an annual basis. The General Fono (the national representative body) has a membership of 21 based on a proportional representation formula using a 2004 population count.
Regional Organizations
SPC, SPREP, FFA, PIF (Observer), SOPAC (Associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU, USP, WHO (associate)
Media & Internet Service Providers
Radio telephone service to Samoa: government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with three satellite earth stations, established in 1997. Each atoll has a radio broadcast station that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998).
Recent News
The people of Tokelau voted to remain a territory of New Zealand in October 2007 after a referendum on independence fell 16 votes short in the second United Nations-supervised ballot in less than two years.
Of the 692 votes cast, 446 were in favor of self government in free association with New Zealand. But that was just short of the two-thirds majority required to change the status of the Non-Self-Governing Territory.
Following the vote, one of Tokelau’s three faipules (chief) Pio Tuia asked the world to accept the result, and to not pressure locals on the issue of self-governance. Faipule Kuresa Nasau blamed Tuia for the result. But others say the problem was on the Ulu’s home atoll of Atafu where the community is split over the return of a church minister, who was granted forgiveness by the local leaders after confessing to sexually abusing his step daughter more than a decade ago.
Tokelau’s New Zealand Administrator, David Payton, confirms that issue is dividing the population.
Tokelau’s one real income earner, revenue from use of the Dot TK Internet domain experienced enormous growth in 2007 according to its administrators, and prompting them to stop registry for paid domains from October 26 until December 3. Dot TK has 1.7 million active domain names, is now one of the 10 largest domain registries in the world. “With our small community of just over 1,000 people we don't want any problems with corporations wanting to protect their trademarks. And that's the reason why we started this sunrise period” said Tino Vitale, General Manager of Tokelau's communications company “Teletok.”
Airlines, Shippers Serving Countrys
MV Tokelau, a ship which provides passenger and cargo services, travels from Apia to Tokelau on a monthly basis, with a round trip taking five
days. A larger vessel can also be chartered on a monthly basis. The service is managed by the Tokelau Department of Transport situated in Apia, Samoa. No air services.
Main Government Contact
Tokelau Council of Faipule
P.O Box 865, Apia, (Samoa)
Ph: (685) 20-822
Fax: (685) 21-761
Email:
falani.aukuso@clear.net.nz
Administrator of Tokelau
Fax: +64-4-439-8514
Sources and Tokelau on the Web
Tokelau Statistics Office
www.spc.int/prism/country/tk/stats/
NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
www.mfat.govt.nz/foreign/tokelau/country/tokelau.html#General
CIA Factbook
www.cia.gov/
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Map courtesy UH Press, The Pacific Islands; an Encyclopedia
Click map for larger image
