Tokelau (2002) | Saint Helena (2002) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of New Zealand) | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (1996 est.) |
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 698; female 678)
15-64 years: 71.9% (male 2,727; female 2,531) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 296; female 387) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) |
Airports | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2001) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 410 sq km
land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
Area - comparative | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 13.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $430,830
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 |
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
Capital | none; each atoll has its own administrative center | Jamestown |
Climate | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
Coastline | 101 km | 60 km |
Constitution | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 | 1 January 1989 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Helena |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $NA |
Dependency status | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution, developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | from New Zealand about $4 million annually | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) |
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, 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. | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 4.65 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand | NA |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997) | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993)
head of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002) cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders - one from each atoll - 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) | $704,000 f.o.b. (1995) |
Exports - commodities | stamps, copra, handicrafts | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | NZ | South Africa, UK |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of New Zealand is used | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 9 00 S, 172 00 W | 15 56 S, 5 42 W |
Geography - note | 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 | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total: 158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km)
paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $323,000 c.i.f. (1983) | $14.434 million c.i.f. (1995) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts |
Imports - partners | NZ | UK, South Africa |
Independence | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing |
Infant mortality rate | 38 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate) | ICFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court |
Labor force | NA | 3,500
note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English | English |
Legal system | New Zealand and local statutes | NA |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono | unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: 68 years (2001) female: 70 years (2001) |
total population: 77.2 years
male: 74.31 years female: 80.23 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian |
Natural hazards | lies in Pacific typhoon belt | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha |
Natural resources | NEGL | fish |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 1,431 (July 2002 est.) | 7,317 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.92% (2002 est.) | 0.7% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998) |
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1,000 (1997) | 3,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
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 |
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | NA years of age |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 2,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | 0 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 0
note: television programs are received in St. Helena via satellite and distributed by cable (2002) |
Terrain | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 14% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |