Spratly Islands (2008) | Tokelau (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats |
Airports | 3 (2007) | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
Birth rate | - | NA |
Budget | - | revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
Capital | - | none; each atoll has its own administrative center |
Climate | tropical | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 926 km | 101 km |
Constitution | - | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
Death rate | - | NA |
Debt - external | - | $0 |
Dependency status | - | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | from New Zealand about $4 million annually |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
Ethnic groups | - | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | - | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General of New Zealand Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); 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: none; 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 |
Exports | - | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) |
Exports - commodities | - | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | - | New Zealand (2000) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | - | the flag of New Zealand is used |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level |
Heliports | 3 (2007) | - |
Highways | - | total: NA
paved: NA unpaved: NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | $323,000 c.i.f. (1983) |
Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | - | New Zealand (2000) |
Independence | - | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | NA% |
International organization participation | - | UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | - | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | - | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | - | New Zealand and local statutes |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005) |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: NA
male: -9 years female: -9 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
National holiday | - | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | - | noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | NA |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states |
1,405 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | -0.01% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002) |
Religions | - | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Suffrage | - | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 0 (2001) |
Terrain | flat | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | - | NA |
Unemployment rate | - | NA% |