The change in usage between Tokelau Islands and Tokelau marks a slight shift in emphasis, with consequences in regional diplomacy, in that the term Tokelau Islands clearly and substantially refers to a geographical expression, that is, a range of islands, whatever else it may connote. Thus it is not necessarily controversial to refer to a range of islands by one name, even though politically they may come under two jurisdictions.

Whereas Tokelau can be taken to refer more immediately to some concept of nationhood, arguably infusing increased meaning to the draft 2006 independence constitution of Tokelau which, controversially or not, defines Swains Island, currently part of American Samoa, as part of the national territory.

The island was claimed by the United States pursuant to the Guano Islands Act as were the other three islands of Tokelau, which claims were ceded to Tokelau by treaty in 1979. In the draft constitution of Tokelau subject to the Tokelauan self-determination referendum in 2006, Olohega is claimed as part of Tokelau, a claim surrendered in the same 1979 treaty which established a boundary between American Samoa and Tokelau.

Tokelau's claim to Swains is generally comparable to the Marshall Islands' claim to US-administered Wake Island, but the re-emergence of this somewhat dormant issue has been an unintended result of the United Nations' recent efforts to promote decolonization in Tokelau. Basically, Tokelauans have proved somewhat reluctant to push their national identity in the political realm: recent decolonization moves have mainly been driven from outside for ideological reasons. But at the same time, Tokelauans are reluctant to disown their common cultural identity with Swains Islanders who speak their language.

Tokelau is in a different time zone from most of New Zealand, being 10 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) rather than 12 hours in front, meaning a 22 hour time difference for much of the year (New Zealand has daylight saving time (DST) for part of the year while Tokelau never participates). Tokelau is in the same time zone as the Cook Islands and Hawaii rather than neighbouring Samoa and American Samoa. - ^-

Tokelau annually exports around US$100,000 (€67,400) of stamps, copra and woven and carved handicrafts and imports over US$300,000 (€202,197) of foodstuffs, building materials, and fuel to, and from, New Zealand. New Zealand also pays directly for the cost of medical and education services. Local industries include small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods, stamps, coins, and fishing. Agriculture and livestock produces coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas, pigs, poultry and few goats. A large number of Tokelauans live in New Zealand and support their families in Tokelau through remittances.

Tokelau has fewer than 1,500 Polynesian inhabitants in three villages who speak Tokelauan and English. Their isolation and lack of resources greatly limits economic development and confines agriculture to the subsistence level. The very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand and Samoa, resulting in a population decline of about 0.9% per year. Depletion of tuna has made fishing for food more difficult.

On the island of Atafu almost all inhabitants are members of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa. On Nukunonu almost all are Roman Catholic. On Fakaofo both denominations are present with the Congregational Christian Church predominant. The total proportions are: Congregational Christian Church 62%, Roman Catholic 34%, other 5%. ^{26 -}

While slightly more females than males live on Atafu and Fakaofo, males make up 57% of Nukunonu residents. ^{27 - Only 9% of Tokelauans aged 40 or more have never been married. 28 - One quarter of the population were born overseas; almost all the rest live on the same atoll they were born on. 29 - Most households own 5 or more pigs. 30 -}

Despite its low income, Tokelau has a life expectancy of 69 years, comparable with parts of Europe ^{31 -}

Many Tokelauan youth travel to New Zealand to further their education and the ship is full around Christmas time with students returning home and then heading off for another year of study.

When bad weather prevents the barge making the trip, the ship stands off to wait suitable weather or goes off to one of the other atolls to attempt to load or unload its passengers or cargo, or both.

19th century
1800–1964 Malta
1801-1921 Ireland
1807–1890 Heligoland
1809–1864 Ionian Islands

20th century
1921-1937 Irish Free State

18th century
1701–1776 Delaware
1712–1776 North Carolina
1712–1776 South Carolina
1713–1867 Nova Scotia
1733–1776 Georgia
1763–1873 Prince Edward Island
1763–1791 Quebec
1763–1783 East Florida
1763–1783 West Florida
1784–1867 New Brunswick
1791–1841 Lower Canada
1791–1841 Upper Canada

19th century
1818–1846 Columbia District / Oregon Country
1841–1867 Province of Canada
1849–1866 Vancouver Island
1853–1863 Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands
1858–1866 British Columbia
1859–1870 North-Western Territory
1862–1863 Stikine Territory
1866–1871 Vancouver Island and British Columbia
1867–1931 * Dominion of Canada ²

20th century
1907–1949 Dominion of Newfoundland ³

Occupied jointly with the United States
²In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. see Canada's name.
³Gave up self-rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949.

18th century
1762–1974 * Grenada
1763–1978 Dominica
since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands

19th century
1831–1966 British Guiana (Guyana)
1833–1960 Windward Islands
1833–1960 Leeward Islands
1860–1981 * Antigua and Barbuda
1871–1964 British Honduras (*Belize)
1882–1983 * St. Kitts and Nevis
1889–1962 Trinidad and Tobago

20th century
1958–1962 West Indies Federation

⁴Now the San Andrés y Providencia Department of Colombia

19th century
1806–1910 Cape Colony
1816–1965 Gambia
1856–1910 Natal
1868–1966 Basutoland (Lesotho)
1874–1957 Gold Coast (Ghana)
1882–1922 Egypt
1884–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana)
1884–1960 British Somaliland
1887–1897 Zululand
1888–1894 Matabeleland
1890–1980 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
1890–1962 Uganda
1890–1963 Zanzibar (Tanzania)
1891–1964 Nyasaland (Malawi)
1891–1907 British Central Africa Protectorate
1893–1968 Swaziland
1895–1920 East Africa Protectorate
1899–1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

20th century
1900–1914 Northern Nigeria
1900–1914 Southern Nigeria
1900–1910 Orange River Colony
1900–1910 Transvaal Colony
1906–1954 Nigeria Colony
1910–1931 South Africa
1911–1964 Northern Rhodesia (Zambia)
1914–1954 Nigeria Colony and Protectorate
1915–1931 South West Africa (Namibia)
1919–1960 Cameroons (Cameroon) ⁵
1920–1963 Kenya
1922–1961 Tanganyika (Tanzania) ⁵
1954–1960 Nigeria

⁵League of Nations mandate

18th century
1702–1705 Con Dao
1757–1947 Bengal ( West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh )
1762–1764 Philippines
1795–1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
1796–1965 Maldives

19th century
1819–1826 British Malaya ( Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore )
1826–1946 Straits Settlements
1839–1967 Colony of Aden
1841–1997 Hong Kong
1841–1941 Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia)
1858–1947 British India ( India , Pakistan and Bangladesh , Burma)
1882–1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia)
1885–1946 Unfederated Malay States
1888–1984 Sultanate of Brunei
1888–1946 Sultanate of Sulu
1891–1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate
1892–1971 Trucial States protectorate
1895–1946 Federated Malay States
1898–1930 Weihai Garrison
1878–1960 Cyprus

20th century
1918–1961 Kuwait protectorate
1920–1932 Iraq ⁵
1921–1946 Transjordan ⁵
1923–1948 Palestine ⁵
1946–1948 Malayan Union
1946–1963 Sarawak (Malaysia)
1948–1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia)
since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus)
since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory

⁵League of Nations mandate

19th century
1803–1901 Van Diemen's Land / Tasmania
1807–1863 Auckland Islands ⁶
1824–1980 New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
1824–1901 Queensland
1829–1901 Swan River Colony / Western Australia
1836–1901 South Australia
since 1838 Pitcairn Islands
1841–1907 Colony of New Zealand
1851–1901 Victoria
1874–1970 Fiji ⁷
1877–1976 British Western Pacific Territories
1884–1949 Territory of Papua
1888–1965 Cook Islands ⁶
1889–1948 Union Islands (Tokelau) ⁶
1892–1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands ⁸
1893–1978 British Solomon Islands ⁹

20th century
1900–1970 Tonga (protected state)
1900–1974 Niue ⁶
1901–1942 * Commonwealth of Australia
1907–1953 * Dominion of New Zealand
1919–1942 Nauru
1945–1968 Nauru
1919–1949 Territory of New Guinea
1949–1975 Territory of Papua and New Guinea ¹⁰

⁶Now part of the * Realm of New Zealand
⁷Suspended member
⁸Now Kiribati and * Tuvalu
⁹Now the * Solomon Islands
¹⁰Now * Papua New Guinea

19th century
since 1815 Ascension Island ¹¹
since 1816 Tristan da Cunha ¹¹
since 1833 Falkland Islands ¹²

20th century
since 1908 British Antarctic Territory ¹³
since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ^{12, 13}

¹¹Dependencies of St. Helena since 1922 (Ascension Island) and 1938 (Tristan da Cunha)
¹²Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982
¹³Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands)

Phones in Tokelau