Tokelau (2005) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
Airports | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
Area - comparative | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 24 times the size of The Mall in 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. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. |
Birth rate | NA | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | none; each atoll has its own administrative center | West Island |
Climate | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
Coastline | 101 km | 26 km |
Constitution | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Currency | - | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | NA | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $NA |
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 | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | from New Zealand about $4 million annually | $NA |
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. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | Europeans, Cocos Malays |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | stamps, copra, handicrafts | copra |
Exports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | Australia (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of New Zealand is used | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
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 - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 9 00 S, 172 00 W | 12 30 S, 96 50 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 | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
Highways | total: NA
paved: NA unpaved: NA |
total: 15 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) |
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) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel | foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | New Zealand (2000) | Australia (1999) |
Independence | none (territory of New Zealand) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing | copra products and tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | NA% |
International organization participation | UNESCO (associate), UPU | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (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 |
Labor force | NA | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English | Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
Legal system | New Zealand and local statutes | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
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) |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: -9 years female: -9 years (2005 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | NA | - |
Location | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force |
National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
Natural hazards | lies in Pacific typhoon belt | cyclone season is October to April |
Natural resources | NEGL | fish |
Net migration rate | NA | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 1,405 (July 2005 est.) | 630 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.01% (2005 est.) | 0% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | none; lagoon anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002) |
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) |
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 |
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
Sex ratio | NA | - |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | NA |
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 |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 300 (2002) | 287 (1992) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | NA |
Terrain | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | NA | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 60% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |