Tokelau is a place in the ocean.
It has three small islands. The islands are made of coral. Many people live there. They use the sun for power. It is a very sunny place. Do you like the sun?
Tokelau is in the Pacific Ocean.
It is part of New Zealand. The islands are made of coral. There are three islands named Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo.
About 2,500 people live there. Most people speak Tokelauan. They are a very small group of people.
The sun helps the islands. They use solar power for energy. This makes them a leader in clean power.
People in the past ate fish and coconut. They lived on the islands a long time ago.
Life on the islands is calm and free. People vote for their leaders every three years. It is a special place to visit.
Tokelau is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
It is a territory of New Zealand. The islands are three coral atolls. These are named Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo.
People settled these islands about 1,000 years ago. In the past, people ate mainly fish and coconut.
About 2,500 people live in Tokelau today. This is one of the smallest populations in the world. Most people there speak Tokelauan as their first language. Many residents were born in Samoa or New Zealand.
Tokelau is a leader in clean power. It is the first nation to use 100% solar power. This power comes from the sun.
The islands are very low to the sea. This makes them at risk if sea levels rise. In 2005, a big storm called a cyclone hit the islands. The storm brought seawater into the villages. It also damaged many food crops like bananas and coconuts.
Tokelau is a small group of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean.
It is a territory that belongs to New Zealand. The islands are made of three tropical coral atolls. These are named Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. Tokelau sits north of the Samoan Islands. It is also east of Tuvalu and northwest of the Cook Islands.
Another island called Swains Island is part of this group. However, the United States currently looks after Swains Island. This has led to an ongoing disagreement over who owns it.
Life in Tokelau is very unique because of its size. Only about 2,500 people live there. This makes it the fourth-smallest population in the world.
Most people, about 94 percent, speak Tokelauan as their first language. Many residents were actually born in Samoa or New Zealand. The islands are also a world leader in clean energy. Tokelau was the first nation to be 100% solar-powered. This means they use the sun to make electricity for everyone.
People have lived on these atolls for a very long time. Evidence shows they were settled about 1,000 years ago. These early people likely came from Samoa. They followed Polynesian traditions and believed in a god named Tui Tokelau.
In the past, people lived by fishing and eating coconuts. For a long time, the three islands acted as separate political groups. They still shared the same language and social ways. Over many years, different groups from around the world arrived and settled there.
European explorers first saw the islands a few centuries ago. A British officer named John Byron saw Atafu in 1765. He called it Duke of York's Island. Later, Captain Edwards visited in 1791. He saw houses and canoes but did not find any people. In 1841, an American expedition finally found a small population on Atafu.
Since then, the islands have changed many times. They were once part of the United Kingdom. In 1949, Tokelau formally became part of New Zealand.
The islands are very low and close to the sea. This can be a hard job when big storms arrive. In 2005, a strong cyclone named Percy hit the islands. The storm brought seawater into the villages on Fakaofo and Nukunonu.
It also damaged many food crops like bananas and coconuts. Because the land is so low, the islands face risks from rising sea levels. Today, the people of Tokelau govern themselves through local councils. They elect a head of government called the Ulu-o-Tokelau every three years.
Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand located in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls named Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. These atolls are ring-shaped coral reefs that surround a central lagoon.
Geographically, Tokelau is positioned north of the Samoan Islands and east of Tuvalu. It lies south of the Phoenix Islands and northwest of the Cook Islands. The archipelago also includes Swains Island, though this island is currently administered by the United States. This has created an ongoing territorial dispute regarding its ownership.
The population of Tokelau is approximately 2,500 people. This makes it the fourth-smallest population of any sovereign state or dependency globally. Many residents have roots outside the islands, as about 45% were born overseas. Most of these people came from Samoa or New Zealand.
Language remains a strong bond for the community. Approximately 94% of the population speaks Tokelauan as their first language. The average life expectancy is 69 years, which is similar to other Oceanian nations.
Tokelau has a unique political and economic structure. It has the smallest economy of any nation in the world. However, it is a global leader in renewable energy. Tokelau was the first nation to become 100% solar-powered.
The islands are free and democratic. Residents hold elections every three years to choose their leaders. Since 1993, the territory has elected its own head of government, known as the Ulu-o-Tokelau. While the United Nations lists Tokelau as a non-self-governing territory, the local people have twice narrowly failed to reach a two-thirds majority for further self-determination.
History shows that people settled these atolls about 1,000 years ago. These early settlers likely arrived from Samoa and used the islands as a gateway to Eastern Polynesia.
They followed Polynesian mythology and worshipped a local god named Tui Tokelau. Historically, the three atolls functioned as separate political units. However, they maintained social and linguistic cohesion through shared traditions. Society was governed by chiefly clans, and the islands relied on a subsistence diet of fish and coconut.
European contact began in the late 18th century. British Navy officer Commodore John Byron first sighted Atafu in 1765. He named it Duke of York's Island. In 1791, Captain Edward Edwards visited Atafu and Nukunonu. He found houses and canoes but no people.
Later, the United States Exploring Expedition arrived in 1841. They discovered a small population on Atafu that used double canoes for travel. This expedition also visited Fakaofo and named it Bowditch after an American mathematician.
The 19th century brought significant changes to Tokelauan life. Missionaries arrived between 1845 and the 1870s to spread Christianity. Different atolls adopted different denominations, such as Protestantism or Catholicism. However, a dark period occurred in 1863 when slave traders kidnapped nearly 253 able-bodied men. These men died from diseases like dysentery and smallpox. This loss changed the islands' governance. The society moved toward a system based on the "Taupulega," or Councils of Elders, representing individual families.
Political control of the islands shifted many times over the decades. The United Kingdom declared Tokelau a protectorate in 1889. In 1916, the islands were annexed by the United Kingdom and included in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. By 1926, New Zealand began administering the territory. The Tokelau Islands Act 1948 eventually led to Tokelau formally becoming part of New Zealand on January 1, 1949. Today, Tokelauans hold New Zealand citizenship.
The physical environment of the atolls presents constant challenges. Because the islands are very low, they are vulnerable to rising sea levels.
In early 2005, Cyclone Percy caused severe damage to the islands. The storm brought seawater into the villages of Fakaofo and Nukunonu. It also eroded islets and destroyed food crops like bananas and coconuts. Such weather events can disrupt essential systems like electricity and telecommunications. Despite these risks, the community continues to manage its unique way of life through local village laws.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (10)
More to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.