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.
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
" }, "Dependency status": { "text": "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" }, "Capital": { "time difference": { "text": "UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)" }, "note": "note: there is no designated, official capital for Tokelau; the location of the capital rotates among the three atolls along with the head of government or Ulu o Tokelau" }, "Legal system": { "text": "common law system of New Zealand" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Act 1948 of New Zealand)" }, "amendment process": { "text": "proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono" }, "note": "note: Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory and has been administered by New Zealand since 1926; Tokelau is considered \"part of New Zealand” under the Tokelau Act 1948, and Tokelauans are New Zealand citizens; in the mid-2000s Tokelau held two referenda on becoming self-governing in free association with New Zealand; the first vote was held in February 2006 but narrowly missed the two-thirds majority required for a change of status, as did a second vote held in 2007; since the self-government referenda, Tokelau has put questions about its constitutional status on hold; it remains a territory of New Zealand but exercises a substantial degree of self-government" }, "Citizenship": { "text": "see New Zealand" }, "Suffrage": { "text": "21 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "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)" }, "head of government": { "text": "(Ulu o Tokelau) Esera Fofō Filipo Tuisano TUISANO (since 17 March 2025)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "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)" }, "election/appointment process": { "text": "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" }, "note": "note: the meeting place of the Tokelau Council and the head of government position rotates annually among the three atolls; this tradition has given rise to the somewhat misleading description that the capital rotates yearly between the three atolls, but Tokelau has no capital" }, "Legislative branch": { "legislature name": { "text": "General Fono (Fono Fakamua)" }, "legislative structure": { "text": "unicameral" }, "number of seats": { "text": "20" }, "electoral system": { "text": "plurality/majority" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "3 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "26 January 2023" }, "parties elected and seats per party": { "text": "independents (20)" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "15%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "January 2026" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judges serve for life" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "High Court (in New Zealand); Council of Elders or Taupulega" } }, "Political parties": { "text": "none" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU" }, "Independence": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840)", "note": "note: Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand" }, "Flag": { "text": "description: a stylized yellow Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward four white five-pointed stars on the left side