NA

Capital:

none; each atoll has its own administrative center time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:

none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970

Legal system:

New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006) head of government: Pio TUIA (since 23 February 2008); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Fono (20 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Atafu has seven seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Nukunonu has six seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: independents 20

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description:

the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy
Tokelau

Economy - overview:

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):