Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls:Atafu,Nukunonu,and Fakaofo. They have a combined land area of 10 km2 (4 sq mi). The capital rotates yearly among the three atolls. In addition to these three,Swains Island,which forms part of the same archipelago,is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute;it is currently administered by the United States as part of American Samoa. Tokelau lies north of the Samoan Islands,east of Tuvalu,south of the Phoenix Islands,southwest of the more distant Line Islands,and northwest of the Cook Islands.
Tokelauan is a Polynesian language spoken in Tokelau and on Swains Island in American Samoa. It is closely related to Tuvaluan and is related to Samoan and other Polynesian languages. Tokelauan has a co-official status with English in Tokelau. There are approximately 4,260 speakers of Tokelauan,of whom 2,100 live in New Zealand,1,400 in Tokelau,and 17 in Swains Island. "Tokelau" means "north-northeast".
The politics of Tokelau takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency. The head of state of Tokelau is King Charles III in right of his Realm of New Zealand,who is represented by an Administrator. The monarch is hereditary,the Administrator is appointed by the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Patuki Isaako is a Tokelauan political figure.
Pio Iosefo Tuia has been Ulu o Tokelau,head of government of Tokelau,six times. The position of ulu rotates annually between the three faipule,who are elected for terms lasting three years. Tuia served as ulu for the sixth time in February 2011. He was also the faipule of Nukunonu and a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau.
The Tokelau self-determination referendum of 2006,supervised by the United Nations,was held from February 11 to February 15,2006. The defeated proposal would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand,akin to the Cook Islands and Niue.
The office of head of government of Tokelau,often simply called the Ulu,rotates yearly between the faipule (leaders) of Tokelau's three atolls:Atafu,Fakaofo,and Nukunonu. The current Ulu is Kelihiano Kalolo,the Faipule of Atafu atoll,who has held the position since 6 March 2023.
Tokelau,a dependent territory of New Zealand,adopted an official flag in 2009. Previously,the flag of New Zealand was used as the official flag for Tokelau.
Kuresa Nasau is a Tokelauan politician who has served as head of government five times and as faipule of Atafu.
The General Fono is the parliament of Tokelau. It has 20 members,representing the 3 atolls. Elections are held every three years.
The national badge of Tokelau depicts a tuluma,which is a traditional Tokelauan carved wooden “tackle box”used by local fishermen. A white cross in the centre of the tuluma and the inscription below Tokelau mo te Atua reflect the strong influence of Christianity in Tokelau.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tokelau:
The Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau is the executive body in Tokelau. It serves as the governing organization for Tokelau when the General Fono is not in session. The council has six members,consisting of the faipule (leader) and pulenuku of each of the three atolls,Fakaofo,Nukunonu,and Atafu. It was established in November 2003,replacing the Council of Faipule,which had been established in 1993 and had three members –the three faipule.
Foua Toloa was a Tokelauan politician who served as the Head of the Government of Tokelau,or Ulu,from 21 February 2009,to 21 February 2010. He was a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,and was a faipule on Fakaofo. As the office of Ulu rotates on an annual basis,Toloa resumed office on 21 February 2011. For a time in 2011-2012,he was also Tokelau's minister for Finance,Telecommunication,Energy and Transport. He died in California in 2015.
Tinielu Tuumuli is a politician from Tokelau. He has been a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau as the pulenuku of Fakaofo since the 2023 election,as well as previously between 2008 and 2013.
Lino Isaia is a politician from Tokelau. As of 2008,he was a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau as the pulenuku of Nukunonu.
Aliki Kelihiano Kalolo is a Tokelauan politician who currently serves as Head of the Government of Tokelau,or Ulu since 13 March 2013. He previously served in the same position from February 2012 to March 2013,again from 12 March 2019 to 9 March 2020,and again from 8 March 2021 to 19 May 2022. He is a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs,Education,Economic Development,Natural Resources and the Environment,prior to and then simultaneously to his leadership of the government. The office of Ulu rotates on an annual basis between the faipule of each of the country's three atolls;Kalolo,as faipule of Atafu,took office as Ulu for the first time in 2012.
Siopili Perez is a Tokelauan politician. He served as the Head of Government of Tokelau from 23 February 2015 to 8 March 2016,from 6 March 2017 to 5 March 2018 and from 19 May 2022 until 6 March 2023.
Aliki Faipule Afega Gaualofa is a Tokelauan politician who served as the 24th and 26th Head of Government of Tokelau from 8 March 2016 to 6 March 2017 and again from 5 March 2018 to 12 March 2019. He had also served as the Faipule (leader) of Fakaofo atoll.
The MV Tokelau was an inter-island ferry which served as Tokelau's main transport connection to the world from 1991 to 2012.
