Tokelau
Flag of Tokelau (territory of New Zealand)
Location of Tokelau (territory of New Zealand)
Capital		None; each atoll has its own administrative center.
Official languages		Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Government		Constitutional monarchy
-	Head of State	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Administrator	David Payton
-	Head of Government	Kolouei O'Brien
New Zealand territory
-	Tokelau Act	1948
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2007 estimate	1,449 (219th)
-	2006 census	1,4661
GDP (PPP)		1993 estimate
-	Total	$1.5 million (227th)
-	Per capita	$1,035 (not ranked)
Currency		New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Time zone		(UTC-11)
Internet TLD		.tk
Calling code		+690
Some data from the World Factbook (2004). 1. Tuhiga Igoa o te 2006 - 2006 Tokelau Census of Population and Dwellings. The Census population figure of 1,466 includes 392 usual residents of Tokelau who were absent on census night.
2

Tokelau (IPA: [ˈtəʊkəˌlaʊ]) is a non-self-governing colonial territory of New Zealand that comprises three tropical coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean. The islands are occasionally referred to by Westerners by an older colonial name, The Union Islands. Until 1976, the official name was Tokelau Islands. The United Nations General Assembly includes Tokelau on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories that have not completed the process of decolonization. According to the CIA list of countries by GDP (PPP) it has the smallest economy of any country in the world.

Etymology

The name Tokelau is a Polynesian word meaning "north wind", a traditionally used name for the islands. The islands were officially named the Union Islands and Union Group at unknown times. Tokelau Islands was adopted in 1946, which was contracted to Tokelau on December 9, 1976.

History

Archaeological evidence indicates that the atolls of Tokelau — Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo — were settled about 1000 years ago, probably by voyages from Samoa, the Cook Islands and Tuvalu. Oral history traces local traditions and genealogies back several hundred years.^[1] Inhabitants followed Polynesian mythology with the local god Tui Tokelau; and developed forms of music (see Music of Tokelau) and art. 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. Fakaofo, the "chiefly island",^[2] held some dominance over Atafu and Nukunonu. Life on the atolls was subsistence-based, with reliance on fish and coconut.<ref name="mfat" />

Western discovery and contact

Commodore John Byron discovered Atafu on June 24, 1765 and named it "Duke of York's Island". Parties onshore reported that there were no signs of current or previous inhabitants.^[3][4] Captain Edward Edwards, in knowledge of Byron's discovery, visited Atafu on June 6, 1791 in search of the mutiny on the Bounty. There were no permanent inhabitants, but houses contained canoes and fishing gear, suggesting the island was used as a temporary residence by fishing parties.<ref name="mac30" /> On June 12, 1791, Edwards sailed southward and discovered Nukunonu, naming it "Duke of Clarence's Island".^[5] A landing party could not make contact with the people but saw "morais", burying places, and canoes with "stages in their middle" sailing across the lagoons.<ref name="mac30" />

On October 29th 1825, August R. Strong of the U.S.N Dolphin wrote of his crew's arrival at the atoll Nukunonu, "Upon examination, we found they had removed all the women and children from the settlement, which was quite small, and put them in canoes lying off a rock in the lagoon. They would frequently come near the shore, but when we approached they would pull off with great noise and precipitation." (The Journal of the South Pacific, 110 (3), pp.296). On February 14, 1835, Captain Smith of the United States whaler General Jackson records discovering Fakaofo, calling it "D'Wolf's Island".^[6][7] On January 25, 1841, the United States Exploring Expedition visited Atafu and discovered a small population living on the island. The residents appeared to be temporary, evidenced by the lack of a chief and the possession of double canoes (used for inter-island travel). They desired to barter, and possessed blue beads and a plane-iron, indicating previous interaction with foreigners. The expedition reached Nukunonu on January 28, 1841 but did not record any information about inhabitants. On January 29, 1841, the expedition discovered Fakaofo and named it "Bowditch". The islanders were found to be similar in appearance and nature to those in Atafu.^[8]

From 1845 to the 1860s, missionaries began introducing Christianity. French Catholic missionaries on Uvea and missionaries of the Protestant London Missionary Society in Samoa used native teachers to convert the Tokelauans. Atafu was converted to Protestantism by the London Missionary Society, Nukunonu was converted to Catholicism and Fakofo was converted to both denominations.^[9] Peruvian slave traders arrived in 1863 and took nearly all (253) of the able-bodied men to work as labourers. The men died of dysentery and smallpox, and very few returned to Tokelau. With this loss, the system of governance became based on the "Taupulega", or "Councils of Elders", where individual families on each atoll were represented.<ref name="mfat" /><ref name="booklet" /> During this time, Polynesian immigrants and American, Scottish, French, Portuguese and German beachcombers settled, marrying local women and repopulating the atolls.<ref name="booklet" />

Government formation

In 1877, the islands were nominally included under the protection of Great Britain by an Order-in-council which claimed jurisdiction over all unclaimed Pacific Islands. Commander Oldham on HMS Egeria landed at each of the three atolls in June 1889^[10] and officially raised the Union Flag, declaring the group a British protectorate. In 1916, they were annexed to the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, then transferred to New Zealand administration in 1926; abolishing the islands' chiefdoms. By the Tokelau Act of 1948, sovereignty over Tokelau was transferred to New Zealand. Defence is also the responsibility of New Zealand. However, the Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves towards free association with New Zealand, similarly to Niue and the Cook Islands.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Tokelau

The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by Administrator David Payton. The head of government is Kolouei O'Brien, who presides over the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders, one from each atoll, which functions as a cabinet. The monarch is hereditary, the administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand, and the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule for a one-year term.

The Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers legislative power on the General Fono, a unicameral body of forty-five seats. Each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega, made up of citizens over the age of 60, chooses fifteen representatives to serve three-year terms.

On November 11, 2004, Tokelau and New Zealand took steps to formulate a treaty that would turn Tokelau from a non-self-governing territory to a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. Besides the treaty, a UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination took place, with the three islands voting on successive days starting February 13, 2006. (Tokelauans based in Apia, Samoa, voted on February 11.) ^[11]. Out of 581 votes cast, 349 were for Free Association, being short of the two-thirds majority required for the measure to pass.^[12] The referendum was profiled (somewhat light-heartedly) in the May, 1, 2006 issue of The New Yorker magazine.^[13] A repeat referendum is taking place now and will close on October 24, 2007.

Geography

Tokelau comprises three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean between 171° and 173° W longitude and 8° and 10° S latitude, approximately midway between Hawaiʻi and New Zealand. They lie about 500 km north of Samoa.

The islands are Atafu (at one time known as the Duke of York Group), Nukunonu (also the Duke of Clarence Group), and Fakaofo (once Bowditch Island). Between them they comprise a land area of 10.8 km². They have no ports or harbours. Tokelau lies in the Pacific typhoon belt.

Geographic locations of Tokelau's atolls:

• Atafu:
• Nukunonu:
• Fakaofo:

Territorial claim

A fourth island that is culturally, historically and geographically — but not politically — part of the Tokelau chain is Swains Island (Olohega), under United States control since about 1900 and administered as part of American Samoa since 1925. The island was claimed by the United States pursuant to the Guano Islands Act as were the other three islands of Tokelau, which claims were ceded to Tokelau by treaty in 1979. In the draft constitution of Tokelau subject to the Tokelauan self-determination referendum in 2006, Olohega is again claimed as part of Tokelau, a claim which was surrendered in the same 1979 treaty in which a boundary was established between American Samoa and Tokelau.

Economy

Tokelau is not a wealthy community, with an annual purchasing power of about US$1,000 (€814) per capita. The government is almost entirely dependent on subsidies from New Zealand. It has annual revenues of about less than US$500,000 (€410,000) against expenditures of some US$2.8 million (€2.3 million). The deficit is made up by aid from New Zealand. Tokelau exports around US$100,000 (€80,000) of stamps, copra and handicrafts (woven and carved) annually and imports over US$300,000 (€245,000) of foodstuffs, building materials and fuel to and from New Zealand. New Zealand also pays directly for the cost of medical and education services.

A large number of Tokelauan people live in New Zealand and support their families in Tokelau by remittances.

Local industries include small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods, stamps, coins, and fishing. Agriculture and livestock produces coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas, pigs, poultry and few goats.

Tokelau has also added 10% to its GDP through selling its domain name, .tk, to people around the world. [1] This has allowed the nation to gain enhanced telecommunications technologies, such as more computers and Internet access for Tokelaun residents.

Demographics

Tokelau has fewer than 1,500 Polynesian inhabitants in three villages who speak Tokelauan and English. Their isolation and lack of resources greatly limits economic development and confines agriculture to the subsistence level. The very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand, resulting in a population decline of about 0.9% per year. Depletion of tuna has made fishing for food more difficult.

On the island of Atafu, almost all inhabitants are members of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa. On Nukunonu almost all are Roman Catholic. On Fakaofo, both denominations are present with the Congregational Christian Church predominant. The total proportions are: Congregational Christian Church 62%, Roman Catholic 34%, other 5%.^[14]

While slightly more females than males live on Atafu and Fakaofo, males make up 57% of Nukunonu residents.^[15] Only 9% of Tokelauans aged 40 or more have never been married.^[16] One quarter of the population were born overseas; almost all the rest live on the same atoll they were born on.^[17] Most households own 5 or more pigs.^[18]

Internet domain names

Tokelau has an Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD), .tk, and attempts to make money for the island by selling domain names. However, to gain publicity, Tokelau gives most domain names under its authority away to anyone for free. Free domains are pointed to Tokelau nameservers that redirect HTTP traffic via HTML frames to a specified web page and redirects 5 email addresses to external addresses. Only paid domains get the option of using a different nameserver (enabling more services and disabling the web/email forwarding).

Miscellaneous topics

Each atoll has a school and hospital. The health services has a Director of Health based in Apia and a Chief Clinical Advisor who moves from atoll to atoll as required to assist the doctors attached to each hospital. In 2007 there was not always a doctor on each island and locums were appointed to fill the gaps. Upcoming Tokelaun medical graduates should alleviate this shortage in the coming years.

Many Tokelauan youth travel to New Zealand to further their education and the ship is full around Christmas time with students returning home and then heading off for another year of study.

Tokelau has a radio telephone service between the islands and to Samoa. In 1997, a government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok) with three satellite earth stations was established. Each atoll has a radio-broadcast station that broadcasts shipping and weather reports and every household has a radio or access to one.

In September 2003, Fakaofo became the first part of Tokelau with a high-speed internet connection. The service is free for everyone. Foundation Tokelau finances the project.

Tokelau is served by the MV Tokelau, owned by the country, with the trip from Apia taking a little over a day. Ships load and unload cargo by motoring up to the down-wind (leeward) side of the islet where the people live and maintaining station, by intermittent use of engines, close to the reef edge so that a landing barge can be motored out to transfer cargo to or from the shore. On returning to shore, the barge negotiates a narrow channel through the reef to the beach. Usually this landing is subject to ocean swell and beaching requires considerable skill and, often, coral abrasions to bodies.

When bad weather prevents the barge making the trip, the ship stands off to wait suitable weather or goes off to one of the other atolls to attempt to load or unload its passengers or cargo, or both.

In late February and early March of 2005, Tokelau was struck and severely damaged by Cyclone Percy. It was stronger than forecast and stayed in the vicinity for longer than had been predicted. It coincided with a spring tide which put most of the area of the two villages on Fakaofo and Nukunonu under a metre of seawater. The cyclone also caused major erosion on several islets of all three atolls, damaging roads and bridges, and disrupting electric power and telecommunications systems. There was also significant and widespread damage to foodcrops including bananas, coconuts and pandanus. No one was seriously injured in the cyclone but villagers lost significant amounts of property.

The future for Tokelau depends on the height of the ocean. No significant land is more than two metres above high water of ordinary tides. This means Tokelau is particularly vulnerable to any possible sea level rises caused by global warming.

See also

• Music of Tokelau

References

• http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-MacToke.html

External links

• History, culture, and economy of Tokelau
• Tokelau Council of Ongoing Government (executive branch of the government)
• The Administrator of Tokelau (Tokelau website of the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
• Tokelau-Info Project (comprehensive website of Martin Muehlbauer—German, English, French)
• Fakaofo (the official website of one of the three atolls)
• Nukunonu (the official website of one of the three atolls)
• Official Tokelau Travel and Information Service
• Tokelau Statistics Unit
• Tokelauan law
• [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tl.html CIA World Factbook entry for Tokelau]
• Open Directory Project— Tokelau ODP Tokelau category
• Dutch entrepreneur makes money from Tokelau domain name

Coordinates:

•  • [ e] Realm of New Zealand
Cook Islands New Zealand Niue Ross Dependency Tokelau

•  • [ e] Polynesia
Polynesian triangle:	Austral Islands Cook Islands Easter Island Gambier Islands Hawaiian Islands Loyalty Islands Marquesas New Zealand Pitcairn Islands Sala y Gmez Samoan Islands Society Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuamotus Tuvalu Wallis and Futuna Islands
Polynesian outliers and peripheral cultures:	Anuta Emae Futuna Kapingamarangi Mele Nuguria Nukumanu Nukuoro Ontong Java Ouva Pileni Rennell Rotuma Sikaiana Takuu Tikopia

•  • [ e] Countries and territories of Oceania

Australasia Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands New Zealand1 Norfolk Island Melanesia Fiji Indonesia (Maluku Islands) New Caledonia Papua New Guinea2 Solomon Islands Vanuatu Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Northern Mariana Islands Palau Polynesia American Samoa Cook Islands French Polynesia Niue Pitcairn Samoa Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Wallis and Futuna 1 Often included in Polynesia 2 New Guinea is often included in Australasia

•  • [ e] British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations

Legend Current territory   Former territory * now a Commonwealth Realm   now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe  18th century 1708-1757  Minorca since 1713  Gibraltar 1782-1802  Minorca 19th century 1800-1964  Malta 1807-1890  Heligoland 1809-1864  Ionian Islands 1878-1960  Cyprus 20th century since 1960  Akrotiri and Dhekelia North America  16th century 1583-1907  Newfoundland 17th century 1607-1776  Thirteen Colonies since 1619  Bermuda 1670-1870  Rupert's Land 18th century Canada (British Imperial)    1763-1791  Quebec    1791-1841  Lower Canada    1791-1841  Upper Canada 19th century Canada (British Imperial)    1841-1867  Province of Canada    1849-1866  Vancouver Island    1858-1871  British Columbia    1859-1870  North-Western Territory    1862-1863  Stikine Territory *Canada (post-Confederation)    1867-1931  Dominion of Canada1 20th century *Canada (post-Confederation)    1907-1934  Dominion of Newfoundland2 1 In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. 'Dominion' remains Canada's legal title; see Canada's name. 2 Remained a de jure dominion until 1949 (when it became a Canadian province); from 1934 to 1949, Newfoundland was governed by the Commission of Government. Latin America and the Caribbean  17th century 1605-1979  *Saint Lucia 1623-1883  Saint Kitts (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1624-1966  *Barbados 1625-1650  Saint Croix 1627-1979  *St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1628-1883  Nevis (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1629-1641  St. Andrew and Providence Islands3 since 1632  Montserrat 1632-1860  Antigua(*Antigua & Barbuda) 1643-1860  Bay Islands since 1650  Anguilla 1651-1667  Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1655-1850  Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655-1962  *Jamaica since 1666  British Virgin Islands since 1670  Cayman Islands 1670-1973  *Bahamas 1670-1688  St. Andrew and Providence Islands3 1671-1816  Leeward Islands 18th century 1762-1974  *Grenada 1763-1978  Dominica since 1799  Turks and Caicos Islands 19th century 1831-1966  British Guiana (Guyana) 1833-1960  Windward Islands 1833-1960  Leeward Islands 1860-1981  *Antigua and Barbuda 1871-1964  British Honduras (*Belize) 1882-1983  *St. Kitts and Nevis 1889-1962  Trinidad and Tobago 20th century 1958-1962  West Indies Federation 3 Now the San Andrs y Providencia Department of Colombia. Africa  18th century 1792-1961  Sierra Leone 1795-1803  Cape Colony 19th century 1806-1910  Cape Colony 1816-1965  Gambia 1856-1910  Natal 1868-1966  Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874-1957  Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882-1922  Egypt 1884-1966  Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884-1960  British Somaliland 1887-1897  Zululand 1888-1894  Matabeleland 1890-1980  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 1890-1962  Uganda 1890-1963  Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891-1964  Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891-1907  British Central Africa 1893-1968  Swaziland 1895-1920  British East Africa 1899-1956  Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 20th century 1900-1914  Northern Nigeria 1900-1914  Southern Nigeria 1900-1910  Orange River Colony 1906-1954  Nigeria Colony 1910-1931  South Africa 1911-1964  Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 1914-1954  Nigeria Protectorate 1915-1931  South West Africa (Namibia) 1919-1960  Cameroons (Cameroon) 4 1920-1963  Kenya 1922-1961  Tanganyika (Tanzania) 4 1954-1960  Nigeria since 1965  British Indian Ocean Territory 4 League of Nations mandate. Asia  18th century 1757-1947  Bengal (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762-1764  Philippines 1795-1948  Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796-1965  Maldives 19th century 1819-1826  Singapore 1826-1946  Straits Settlements 1839-1967  Aden (colony) 1841-1997  Hong Kong 1841-1941  Kingdom of Sarawak 1858-1947  British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) 1882-1963  British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885-1946  Unfederated Malay States 1891-1971  Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892-1971  Trucial States protectorate 1895-1946  Federated Malay States 1898-1930  Weihai Garrison 20th century 1918-1961  Kuwait protectorate 1920-1932  Iraq4 1921-1946  Transjordan4 1923-1948  Palestine4 1946-1948  Malayan Union 1946-1963  Sarawak (Malaysia) 1948-1957  Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) 4 League of Nations mandate. Oceania  18th century 1788-1901  New South Wales 1794-1843  Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) 19th century 1803-1901  Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1807-1863  Auckland Islands 1824-1980  New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824-1901  Queensland 1829-1901  Swan River Colony/Western Australia 1836-1901  South Australia since 1838  Pitcairn Islands 1840-1907  *Colony of New Zealand 1850-1901  Victoria (Australia) 1874-1970  Fiji5 1877-1976  British Western Pacific Territories 1884-1949  Territory of Papua 1888-1965  Cook Islands6 1888-1984  Sultanate of Brunei 1889-1948  Union Islands (Tokelau)6 1892-1979  Gilbert and Ellice Islands7 1893-1978  British Solomon Islands8 20th century 1900-1970  Tonga (protected state) 1900-1974  Niue6 1901-1942  *Commonwealth of Australia 1907-1953  *Dominion of New Zealand 1919-1949  Territory of New Guinea 1949-1975  Territory of Papua and New Guinea9 5 Suspended member. 6 Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand. 7 Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu. 8 Now the *Solomon Islands. 9 Now *Papua New Guinea. Antarctica and South Atlantic  17th century since 1659  St. Helena 19th century since 1815  Ascension Island9 since 1816  Tristan da Cunha9 since 1833  Falkland Islands11 20th century since 1908  British Antarctic Territory10 since 1908  South Georgia and                     the South Sandwich Islands10, 11 9 Dependencies of St. Helena since 1922 (Ascension Island) and 1938 (Tristan da Cunha). 10 Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). 11 Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April-June 1982.