Tokelau, which comprises three atolls, was first settled by Polynesians around A.D. 1000. The three atolls operated relatively independently but had contact with one another, intermarrying and occasionally fighting wars. Fakaofo Atoll eventually subjugated the other two. British explorer John BYRON was the first European to see Atafu Atoll in 1765. British naval officer Edward EDWARDS saw Nukunonu Atoll in 1791, and ships occasionally continued to pass by Atafu and Nukunonu. In 1835, a US whaling ship became the first non-Pacific island ship to pass by Fakaofo. Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in 1845 and converted the population on the islands on which they landed. To this day, Nukunonu is predominantly Catholic while Atafu is mostly Protestant; Catholic and Protestnat missionaries both worked in Fakaofo, and the population there is more mixed.
In 1863, Peruvian slave traders, masquerading as missionaries, kidnapped nearly all the men from Tokelau, and local governance moved to a system based on a Council of Elders, which still exists today. The atolls were repopulated when new Polynesian settlers and American and European migrants intermarried with local Tokelauan women. Tokelau became a British protectorate in 1889 and included in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Protectorate - later a colony - in 1908. In 1925, the UK placed Tokealu 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 claims over Tokelau in the Treaty of Tokehega, and Tokelau relinquished its claims over 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 two self-governance referendums in 2006 and 2007, in which more than 60% of voters chose to go into free association with New Zealand; however, the referendums failed to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to enact a status change. Tokelau lacks an airport and is only accessible via a day-long boat trip from Samoa, although a site for an airstrip on Nukunonu was selected in 2019. Because of its dependency on Samoa for transportation, in 2011, Tokelau followed Samoa’s lead and shifted the international date line to its east, skipping December 30 and becoming one hour ahead of New Zealand rather than 23 hours behind.
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
" }, "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" }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "Independence": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948)" }, "amendments": { "text": "proposed as a resolution by the General Fono; passage requires support by each village and approval by the General Fono; amended several times, last in 2007" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "common law system of New Zealand" }, "Citizenship": { "text": "see New Zealand" }, "Suffrage": { "text": "21 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Governor General Dame Patricia Lee REDDY (since 28 September 2016); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Ross ARDERN (since May 2018)" }, "head of government": { "text": "(Ulu o Tokelau) Fofo Filipo TUISANO (since 9 March 2020); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) of the atolls" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau (or Tokelau Council) functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 Faipule (village leaders) and 3 Pulenuku (village mayors)" }, "elections/appointments": { "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 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; in actuality, it is the seat of the government councilors that rotates since Tokelau has no capital" }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "unicameral General Fono (20 seats apportioned by island - Atafu 7, Fakaofo 7, Nukunonu 6; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 3-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power to the General Fono" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 23 January 2020 depending on island (next to be held in January 2023)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 17, women 3, percent of women 15%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { "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 and leaders": { "text": "none" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "text": "none (territory of New Zealand)" }, "Flag description": { "text": "a yellow stylized Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward the manu - the Southern Cross constellation of four, white, five-pointed stars at the hoist side; the Southern Cross represents the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture and, in conjunction with the canoe, symbolizes the country navigating into the future; the color yellow indicates happiness and peace, and the blue field represents the ocean on which the community relies" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "tuluma (fishing tackle box); national colors: blue, yellow, white" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Te Atua\" (For the Almighty)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "unknown/Falani KALOLO" }, "note": "note: adopted 2008; in preparation for eventual self governance, Tokelau held a national contest to choose an anthem; as a territory of New Zealand, \"God Defend New Zealand\" and \"God Save the Queen\" are official (see New Zealand)" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The principal sources of revenue are from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.
The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $15 million annually in FY12/13 and FY13/14 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An international trust fund, currently worth nearly $32 million, was established in 2004 by New Zealand to provide Tokelau an independent source of revenue.
" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "text": "NA
" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": { "text": "4% (2020 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "2.5% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "11% (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: Tokelau notes that its wide inflation swings are due almost entirely due to cigarette prices, a chief import." }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017": { "text": "$7,711,583 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars." }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$12.658 million (2017 est.)Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution
" } } }