Tokelau:
Government

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Other pages in this profile of Tokelau:
Geography, People, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Country name	Definition conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status	Definition self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status
Government type	Definition NA
Capital	Definition none; each atoll has its own administrative center time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions	Definition none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence	Definition none (territory of New Zealand)
National holiday	Definition Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution	Definition administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970
Legal system	Definition New Zealand and local statutes
Suffrage	Definition 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch	Definition chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006) head of government: Pio TUIA (since 23 February 2008); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term
Legislative branch	Definition unicameral General Fono (20 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Atafu has seven seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Nukunonu has six seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: independents 20
Judicial branch	Definition Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders	Definition none
Political pressure groups and leaders	Definition none
International organization participation	Definition PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US	Definition none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US	Definition none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag description	Definition the flag of New Zealand is used

Tokelau: Government

Tokelau:
Government