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.
Atafu,formerly known as the Duke of York Group,is a group of 52 coral islets within Tokelau in the south Pacific Ocean,500 kilometres north of Samoa. With a land area of 2.5 square kilometres,it is the smallest of the three islands that constitute Tokelau. It is an atoll and surrounds a central lagoon,which covers some 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi). The atoll lies 800 kilometres south of the equator at 8°35' South,172°30' West.
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.
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.
The Administrator of Tokelau is an official of the New Zealand Government,responsible for supervising the government of the dependent territory of 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.
A referendum on self-determination was held in Tokelau on 20 October and on 22–24 October 2007,with the result being that self-governance was rejected. Had it been successful,the referendum 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. However,the referendum required a two-thirds positive vote to pass,and the "yes" side fell short of the required total by 16 votes.
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.
Salesio Lui is a Tokelauan politician. He was the head of government of Tokelau from February 1993 to February 1994 and again from 1 March 2013 to 24 February 2014.
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.
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. 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.
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.
Susana Tetane Lemisio is a community organiser and educator from Tokelau.
The MV Tokelau was an inter-island ferry which served as Tokelau's main transport connection to the world from 1991 to 2012.
