Overview: Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand to maintain public services, 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.

GDP: $1.4 million, per capita $800; real growth rate NA% (1988 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $430,830; expenditures $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (FY87)

Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983); commodities--stamps, copra, handicrafts; partners--NZ

Imports: $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983); commodities--foodstuffs, building materials, fuel; partners--NZ

External debt: none

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 200 kW capacity; 0.30 million kWh produced, 175 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Agriculture: coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops--breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $21 million

Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

NOTE: The information regarding Tokelau on this page is re-published from the 1990 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tokelau Economy 1990 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tokelau Economy 1990 should be addressed to the CIA.