Tokelau
(territory of New Zealand)
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Referenda held in 2006 and 2007 to change the status of the islands from that of a New Zealand territory to one of free association with New Zealand did not meet the needed threshold for approval. 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. Source: The Places Factbook, CIA. |
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.