Tokelau (2004) | Kuwait (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of New Zealand) | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2004 est.) |
0-14 years:
28.76% (male 299,080; female 288,125) 15-64 years: 68.82% (male 897,839; female 507,527) 65 years and over: 2.42% (male 31,843; female 17,547) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats | practically no crops; fish |
Airports | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2003 est.) | 8 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
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. | Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
revenues:
$11.5 billion expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02) |
Capital | none; each atoll has its own administrative center | Kuwait |
Climate | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Coastline | 101 km | 499 km |
Constitution | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
conventional long form:
State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $6.9 billion (2000 est.) |
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) | chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. LAROCCO embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307 FAX: [965] 538-0282 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 |
Disputes - international | none | in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands |
Economic aid - recipient | from New Zealand about $4 million annually | $27.6 million (1995) |
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. | Kuwait is a small, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00 budget into a $2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02, which begins 1 April, contains higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other general categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 29.357 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 31.567 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand | limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) | Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3057 (January 2001), 0.3067 (2000), 0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since NA 2002)
head of government: Aliki Faipule Kuresa NASAU (since 2004) note - position rotates annually among members of the cabinet 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:
Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) | $23.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | stamps, copra, handicrafts | oil and refined products, fertilizers |
Exports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | Japan 23%, US 12%, Singapore 8%, Netherlands 7% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of New Zealand is used | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $29.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture:
0% industry: 55% services: 45% (1996) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 9 00 S, 172 00 W | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
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 | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
Heliports | - | 3 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total:
4,450 km paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
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) | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing |
Imports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | US 15%, Japan 10%, UK 7%, Germany 7% (1999) |
Independence | none (territory of New Zealand) | 19 June 1961 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 3% (2000) |
International organization participation | UNESCO (associate), UPU | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau | High Court of Appeal |
Labor force | NA | 1.3 million (1998 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Land use | arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English | Arabic (official), English widely spoken |
Legal system | New Zealand and local statutes | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Fono (48 seats; 15 members from each of the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms and the 3 island village mayors [pulenuku]); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono | unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: 68 years female: 70 years (2004 est.) |
total population:
76.27 years male: 75.42 years female: 77.15 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Oceania | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea:
12 NM |
Merchant marine | none | total:
45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,461,072 GRT/3,966,645 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, container 6, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1.9 billion (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 8.7% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
780,559 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
466,521 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
18,309 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
Nationality | noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
noun:
Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti |
Natural hazards | lies in Pacific typhoon belt | sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August |
Natural resources | NEGL | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 14.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km |
Political parties and leaders | none | none; formation of political parties is illegal |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists |
Population | 1,405 (July 2004 est.) | 2,041,961
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.01% (2004 est.) | 3.38% (2001 est.)
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud |
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 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1.175 million (1997) |
Railways | - | 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 |
Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
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 |
general assessment:
the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 300 (2002) | 412,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | 210,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) |
Terrain | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons | flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 1.8% (official 1996 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |