!!!Tokelau: Government
||Country name|''conventional long form'': none \\ ''conventional short form'': Tokelau \\ ''etymology'': "tokelau" is a Polynesian word meaning "north wind" \\ 
||Dependency status|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|parliamentary democratic dependency (General Fono); a territory of New Zealand
||Capital|none; each atoll has its own administrative center''time difference'': UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) \\ 
||Administrative divisions|none (territory of New Zealand)
||Independence|none (territory of New Zealand)
||National holiday|Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
||Constitution|many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948); amended many times, last in 2007 (2016)
||Legal system|common law system of New Zealand
||Citizenship|see New Zealand
||Suffrage|21 years of age; universal
||Executive branch|''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 Jonathan KINGS (since February 2011) \\ ''head of government'': Siopili PEREZ (since 23 February 2015); note - position rotates annually among the 3 Faipule (village leaders) \\ ''cabinet'': the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau functions as a cabinet; consists of 3 Faipule (village leaders) and 3 Pulenuku (village mayors) \\ ''elections/appointments'': the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; head of government chosen from the Council of Faipule to serve a 1-year term \\ 
||Legislative branch|''description'': unicameral General Fono (20 seats apportioned by island - Atafu 7, Fakaofo 7, Nukunonu 6; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 3-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power to the General Fono \\ ''elections'': last held on 23 January 2014 (next to be held in 2017) \\ ''election results'': independent 20 \\ 
||Judicial branch|''highest court(s)'': Court of Appeal in New Zealand (consists of the court president and 8 judges sitting in 3- or 5-judge panels depending on the case) \\ ''judge selection and term of office'': judges nominated by the Judicial Selection Committee and approved by three-quarters majority of the Parliament; judges appointed for life \\ ''subordinate courts'': High Court, in New Zealand; Council of Elders or Taupulega \\ 
||Political parties and leaders|none
||Political pressure groups and leaders|none
||International organization participation|PIF (associate member), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
||Diplomatic representation in the US|none (territory of New Zealand)
||Diplomatic representation from the US|none (territory of New Zealand)
||Flag description|a yellow stylized Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward the manu - the Southern Cross constellation of four, white, five-pointed stars at the hoist side; the Southern Cross represents the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture and, in conjunction with the canoe, symbolizes the country navigating into the future; the color yellow indicates happiness and peace, and the blue field represents the ocean on which the community relies
||National symbol(s)|tuluma (fishing tackle box); national colors: blue, yellow, white
||National anthem|''name'': "Te Atua" (For the Almighty) \\ ''lyrics/music'': unknown/Falani KALOLO \\  \\ ''__note__'': adopted 2008; in preparation for eventual self governance, Tokelau held a national contest to choose an anthem; as a territory of New Zealand, "God Defend New Zealand" and "God Save the Queen" are official (see New Zealand) \\