Tokelau — map and facts

About Tokelau

Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand, consisting of three small coral atolls — Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo — located in the South Pacific Ocean, roughly midway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The population is approximately 1,500 people, making it one of the smallest territories in the world. Tokelau has no capital city; instead, each atoll has its own village and administrative centre, and governance rotates annually among the three atolls under a system called the Tokelau National Government, led by a council of elders (Taupulega). New Zealand manages Tokelau's defence and foreign affairs and provides substantial financial support. The territory uses the New Zealand dollar. Tokelau has twice voted in referendums, in 2006 and 2007, on becoming a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, but on both occasions the required two-thirds majority was not reached. The territory relies almost entirely on New Zealand aid, remittances from the diaspora, and fishing licence fees.

Geography and Landscape

Tokelau's three atolls have a combined land area of only approximately 12 square kilometres, making it one of the smallest territories on earth. Each atoll consists of a ring of low-lying coral islets encircling a central lagoon. The highest point on any of the atolls barely exceeds three metres above sea level, making Tokelau among the territories most threatened by sea-level rise associated with climate change. The land is infertile coral sand and rock, with thin soils supporting coconut palms, breadfruit, and limited food crops. The surrounding waters are rich in marine life and fishing is central to the local diet and economy. The climate is tropical, warm and humid year-round, with the islands lying within the South Pacific Convergence Zone. Tokelau is occasionally struck by tropical cyclones. The three atolls are separated from each other by distances of approximately 90 to 150 kilometres of open ocean, with no regular inter-atoll flights, so sea transport connects the islands.

History

Tokelau's atolls were settled by Polynesian peoples, likely from Samoa and Tuvalu, at least a thousand years ago. The islands were sighted by European sailors in the early nineteenth century, and British missionaries arrived in the 1840s, converting the population to Christianity. Britain declared a protectorate over the atolls in 1889 and transferred administration to New Zealand in 1925. The population suffered devastating raids by Peruvian slave traders in the 1860s, which severely reduced the population of the atolls, particularly Atafu and Fakaofo. During the Second World War, the islands were occupied briefly by Japanese forces. New Zealand incorporated Tokelau into its territory formally in 1948, and the inhabitants became New Zealand citizens. The question of greater self-determination has been central to Tokelau's recent political life, with the two referendums in 2006 and 2007 falling just short of the supermajority needed to change the territory's constitutional status.