Tokelau Geography Profile 2008

Location

Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

101 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources

NEGL

Land use

arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Natural hazards

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues

limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note

consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level