AfricaAsia NorthAsia South and SoutheastAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastNorth AmericaPacificAmerican SamoaCook IslandsFijiFrench PolynesiaKiribatiMarshall IslandsMicronesiaNauruNew CaledoniaNiuePalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTokelauTongaTuvaluVanuatu
Start writing the country or territory name in the box. Typing more letters narrows the search. Click "go" or hit "Enter" to go to the information paper on the country or territory.
(We don't have information papers on all countries and territories.)
Since 1926, Tokelau has been administered by New Zealand. For the purposes of the principle of self-determination enshrined in the United Nations Charter, Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory.
In 1996, the General Fono was given the statutory authority to make Rules for the peace, order and good government of Tokelau. The Rules of the General Fono have legal effect in Tokelau. Although Rules may be disallowed by the Administrator within a particular period of time, in practice this power has never been exercised. New Zealand statute law does not apply to Tokelau unless it is expressly extended to Tokelau. In practice, no New Zealand legislation is extended to Tokelau without Tokelauan consent.
Tokelau, as a non-self-governing territory, remains on the list of such territories compiled by the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation. Increasingly, Tokelau has expressed a desire to run itself to the greatest extent possible. Much thought has been given in Tokelau and New Zealand as to the best path to achieve some kind of sustained autonomy. This is also consistent with New Zealand’s obligation, in terms of Article 73 of the UN Charter, to work with Tokelau towards an act of self-determination.
From the 1960s, following the path of many Pacific countries, New Zealand worked with Tokelau to establish a model of government (based on a national legislature and a national public service). In recent years Tokelauans made it clear that they would prefer the source of authority on Tokelau to be the Taupulega (village councils of elders – the traditional governing authority). The desire to return to a system of self-government based on the village led to the decision to transfer the Administrator’s authority to the three Taupulega, which now manage all services at the village level and have delegated authority to the General Fono and Council for Ongoing Government to decide issues of national and international significance. This approach is distinct from the Westminster system, and is more suited to the Tokelauan context.
In 2004 New Zealand and Tokelau developed a Joint Statement on the Principles of Partnership between Tokelau and New Zealand. The document is of a political rather than legal nature. It addresses the management of the partnership, self-determination for Tokelau, Tokelau’s language and culture, New Zealand citizenship, shared values, economic and administrative assistance, coordination of services to Tokelau, defence and security, foreign affairs, and the Tokelauan community in New Zealand. The document was signed in Tokelau in November 2003, in the presence of the Governor-General.
Official Name - Tokelau - Land Area - Approx. 12 sq km (3-5 metres above sea-level) - Population - 1466 (Oct 2006 Census), Atafu 524, Fakaofo 483, Nukunonu 426, Samoa 33 - Coral Atolls - Fakaofo, Nukunonu, Atafu - Status - Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand - Language - Tokelauan and English - Currency - New Zealand dollar - Climate - Mean average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius. July is the coolest month and January the warmest. From April to November the east-south-easterly trade winds dominate climatic conditions - Dress - The standard of dress for visitors is summer casual. Long sleeves are not required for men or women. Cotton is a recommended material for its lightness and ability to "breathe".
Administrator of Tokelau - The Administrator of Tokelau is technically responsible for the administration of the executive government of Tokelau. The Administrator’s authority is set out in the Tokelau Act 1948 (as amended) and the Tokelau Administration Regulations 1993. In June 2004, the Administrator delegated his powers to the three Village Councils (see below). The current Administrator is David Payton who took up the position in September 2006 - Tokelau’s System of Government - Tokelau’s traditional source of authority is each village’s Council of Elders, or Taupulega. Each three years sees the election of a Village Head or Faipule. An elected mayor, the Pulenuku, directs village activities. Members of the General Fono or National Assembly are elected at three-yearly intervals to deal with national issues. Between General Fono meetings, the three Faipule and the three Pulenuku (mayors) meet as the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau to provide national government continuity. The three Faipule are effectively brokers between the villages and the outside world, while the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau forms the tie between the traditional village governing structure and the national government.
The Ulu-o-Tokelau, is the head of the national government, and the position rotates annually among the three Faipule. The Ulu chairs the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau while the Chairman of the General Fono is elected by members of the General Fono. Pio Tuia from Nukunonu is Ulu for 2008. Kuresa Nasau is Faipule of Atafu and Foua Toloa is Faipule of Fakaofo. Elections are held every three years. In the January 2002 elections, the General Fono adopted a population-related pattern of representation which in 2008 allows Atafu seven members of parliament, Fakaofo seven and Nukunonu six – making a total of 20 seats.
The General Fono meets in three or four sessions of about four days during the year. The Tokelau Amendment Act passed by the New Zealand Parliament in 1996, which came into force on 1 August of that year, conferred on the General Fono the authority to make rules for the peace, order and good government of Tokelau, including the power to impose taxes.
In 2004 the New Zealand-appointed Administrator formally delegated his administrative powers to the Village Councils and the Tokelau Public Service was divided into four units. Village Councils assumed control of their public servants and a General Manager was appointed to head the offices of each Taupulega, while a national public service unit continued operating from Apia. The government called this combination of traditional Tokelauan and western administrative methods the “Modern House of Tokelau”. The Taupulega now runs all services on each atoll and provides employment for public servants. It is the ultimate source of authority in Tokelau. Now non-traditional and traditional government procedures operate side by side. Tokelau’s national government assists the traditional governments on the atolls and provides advice to the elders so they can make informed decisions and interface with the outside world.
Last election - January 2008
Next election due - January 2011
Head of State - The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the Head of State of Tokelau. The Queen’s Representative is the Governor-General of New Zealand
Key Ministers - Specific Ministerial portfolios are shared amongst the three Faipule.
New Zealand and Tokelau have a special relationship founded on close historical ties, extensive people to people links, unique constitutional arrangement and common citizenship and territory. Tokelau has been a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand since 1926. Recent joint initiatives with Tokelau have focused on strengthening New Zealand’s support systems and constructing governance arrangements which are relevant in the unique Tokelauan context. In February 2006, Tokelau held a referendum on whether to move to self government in free association with New Zealand. By a narrow margin the required two-thirds majority support for a change was not reached. In August 2006, the General Fono passed a decision to hold a second referendum in October 2007. From 20-24 October 2007, Tokelau held its second referendum and again failed to reach the two-thirds required for a change of status.
While archaeological evidence indicates that the atolls of Tokelau were settled around 1000 years ago, oral history traces local traditions and genealogies back several hundred years and details the origins of the social and political order that was in place by the 19th century. According to oral sources, the three atolls functioned largely independently while maintaining social and linguistic cohesion. Tokelauan society was governed by chiefly clans, and there were occasional inter-atoll skirmishes and wars as well as inter-marriage. Historically, Fakaofo held some dominance over Atafu and Nukunonu. Life on the atolls was subsistence-based, with reliance on fish and coconut. There is no soil on Tokelau, and therefore the vegetables and fruit that provided staples elsewhere in the Pacific (such as taro and bananas) were not available.
Contact with Europeans led to some significant changes in Tokelauan society. Trading ships brought new foods, cloth and materials, and exposure to new information and ways of doing things. In the 1850s, missionaries from the Roman Catholic Church and the London Missionary Society, with the assistance of Tokelauans who had been introduced to religious activities in Samoa, introduced Christianity, which was readily embraced. Currently, the majority of the Atafu population are Congregational Christians and most of the Nukunonu population are Catholic. On Fakaofo the majority of the population (around 70 percent) are Congregational Christians and most of the remainder are Catholic.
In the 1860s, Peruvian slave ships visited the three atolls and forcibly removed almost all able-bodied men (253) to work as labourers in Peru. The men died in the dozens of dysentery and smallpox, and very few ever returned to Tokelau. The impact of the slave ships was devastating, and led to major changes in governance. With the loss of chiefs and able-bodied men, Tokelau moved to a system of governance based on the Taupulega, or Councils of Elders. On each atoll, individual families were represented on the Taupulega (though the method of selection of family representatives differed among atolls). Village governance today is squarely the domain of the Taupulega.
Tokelau became a British protectorate in 1877, a status that was formalised in 1889. The British Government annexed the group (which had been renamed the Union Islands) in 1916, and included it within the boundaries of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (Kiribati and Tuvalu). In 1926 Britain passed administration of Tokelau to New Zealand. There has never been a residential administrative presence on Tokelau, and therefore administration has been ‘light-handed’ and impinged to a relatively small extent on everyday life on the atolls. Formal sovereignty was transferred to New Zealand with the enactment of the Tokelau Act 1948. While Tokelau was declared to be part of New Zealand from 1 January 1949, it has a distinctive culture and its own political, legal, social, judicial and economic systems.
Over the past three decades Tokelau has moved progressively towards its current advanced level of political self-reliance. It has its own unique political institutions, including a national legislative body and Executive Council. It runs its own judicial system and public services. It has its own shipping and telecommunications systems. It has full control over its budget. It plays an active role in regional affairs and is a member of a number of regional and international bodies.
In January 1994, the powers of the Administrator of Tokelau, which cover administration of the executive government of Tokelau, were delegated to the General Fono. In June 2004 they were transferred to the three Village Councils, which are now squarely in charge of all public services on each atoll. The Tokelau Amendment Act, passed by the New Zealand Parliament in 1996 conferred on the General Fono the power to make rules for the peace, order and good government of Tokelau, including the power to impose taxes. The General Fono’s functions are carried out under delegation from the three Taupulega.
Work is underway to ensure that Tokelau’s modern needs (e.g. shipping, power, education, health, transport and economic development) are being met. Critical to these developments is a public service that has the capacity and capability to provide advice and support to traditional and elected leaders.I
In June 2003, Tokelau assumed full responsibility for managing its budget. In October 2003, it decided, by unanimous decision of the General Fono, to formally explore the option of self-government in free association with New Zealand. A Joint Statement on Principles of Partnership was signed in the presence of the Governor-General in November 2003. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Helen Clark, made an official visit to Tokelau in August 2004.
In November 2005, New Zealand and Tokelau approved the text of a draft Treaty of Free Association and Tokelau Constitution which formed the basis of a formal act of self-determination by Tokelau in February 2006. The referendum rules required a two thirds majority of valid votes for a change to self-government in free association with New Zealand. The referendum was monitored by a United Nations team. Although the referendum narrowly failed to reach the required two-third’s majority, Tokelau asked that the draft Treaty and supporting documents remain ‘on the table’ as Tokelau debated its political future. At the General Fono in August 2006 it was decided to hold a second referendum in October 2007. Extensive consultations took place in Tokelau prior to this second vote. In addition Tokelau's Council for Ongoing Government met with Tokelauan Communities outside Tokelau - in Hawaii, American Samoa, Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. From 20-24 October 2007, Tokelau held its second referendum and again failed to reach the two-thirds required for a change of status.
Each atoll has one school - Matauala (Atafu), Matiti (Nukunonu) and Tialeniu (Fakaofo). The schools provide education for preschoolers and Years 1- 10 (Primary to Form 5). Some students are awarded scholarships to attend schools in Samoa and, if successful, enrol in tertiary institutions in Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand. Privately funded students also attend schools in Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.
The University of the South Pacific (USP) has an outpost on Tokelau (Atafu) that is electronically linked to USP (Fiji). Plans are underway to extend this facility to Fakaofo and Nukunonu atolls. The potential of this facility to provide tertiary education and training for Tokelau has yet to be fully explored.
Tokelau does not have its own international representation, but its participation in certain regional organisations is an aspect of its progress toward greater autonomy. Accordingly (and with New Zealand’s support), Tokelau has sought and obtained the right to participate fully and in its own right in regional organisations such as the Conference of the Pacific Community, the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme, the Forum Fisheries Agency, SOPAC and the Council of the University of the South Pacific. Observer status was granted to Tokelau by the Pacific Islands Forum in October 2005. Tokelau is also an associate member of the World Health Organisation and UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Waste Management Project on the village of Nukunonu, 2008. Preparation for recycling - crushing of cans and packaging of plastic bottles for shipment offshore.
For the 2007/08 financial year, New Zealand’s projected official development assistance to Tokelau will be approximately $13.17 million. New Zealand is the largest bilateral donor to Tokelau, with its economic support amounting to around 80 percent of Tokelau’s recurrent budget. In July 2003, Tokelau assumed responsibility for full budget support, where previously a mix of budget support and project support had been provided. Special purpose grants have been approved to improve shipping services and assist with the recovery programme for Cyclone Percy, which struck Tokelau in February 2005. The General Fono has identified health, education, economic development and shipping as priority areas for development. A joint capability review has recently been completed which further identifies priority areas. An International Trust Fund was established in 2004 to provide Tokelau with an independent source of revenue and now stands at $28.3 million.
Under the New Zealand/Tokelau draft Treaty, New Zealand and Tokelau recognise that Tokelau's unique language and culture are a source of strength and identity both in Tokelau and among Tokelau communities in New Zealand. New Zealand has undertaken to work with Tokelau and to support a programme that ensures the retention and development of Tokelauan culture and language.
The physical characteristics of the atolls allow limited scope for economic development and the few natural resources are sufficient only to meet the needs of the people. Agricultural products are of a basic subsistence nature. Food crops consist of coconuts, pulaka, breadfruit, taamu, papaya, edible padanus fruit and bananas. Many other seeds have been tested but because of the poverty of the soil very poor results have been achieved. Crops, particularly coconut trees, must be protected from the Polynesian rat and the rhinoceros beetle.
Livestock consists of pigs, poultry and goats. Attempts to improve the local pig stock have achieved some positive results. Exotic breeds have been interbred with local pigs to produce new bloodlines.
Although it is currently heavily dependent on New Zealand for economic support, Tokelau has its own Trust Fund (now standing at $28.3 million) and is looking at ways of increasing its own revenue earning capacity in areas such as fisheries licensing, handicrafts, tourism and stamps and coins.
Ocean and lagoon fish and shellfish are readily available and are part of the staple diet. Fisheries licence fees contribute some $500,000 a year to Tokelau's budget. A five year economic development plan has been developed for 2006 - 2010.
Copra production has declined significantly in recent years due to falling international requirements. Tokelauan handicraft, particularly woven items such as mats, hats, bags and fans, are renowned throughout the Pacific for their detail. Stamps and coins also generate revenue for Tokelau.
Each village has co-operative stores run by village management committees. The public service administration works closely with these committees to assist with management and to reduce the costs of goods arriving in Tokelau.
A major power project providing diesel generated electricity in all three atolls is due for completion in June 2007. There is also a small solar energy pilot programme on the island of Fakaofo. This is a central reticulation system that feeds into the national grid and currently has the capacity to power about 20 out of the 100 households on the atoll. This solar power project has been successful and Tokelau is looking at solar powered facilities on the other two atolls.
Tokelau is not serviced by air. Tokelau owns the MV Tokelau, a ship which provides passenger and cargo services. The MV Tokelau travels from Apia to Tokelau on a fortnightly basis, with a round trip taking five days. A larger vessel is also chartered on a monthly basis. The service is managed by the Tokelau Department of Transport situated in Apia, Samoa. A shipping review was completed in 2005. This review recommended a larger, faster ship with more cargo capacity. New Zealand is in the process of implementing the recommendations of the review.
There is only one recognised tourist facility in Tokelau - the "Luanaliki" provides accommodation and meals on Nukunonu.
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Tokelau [external link].
top of page