Norfolk Island (territory of Australia)

§1. Norfolk Island Introduction

Background:
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony
  (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was
  resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and
  their Tahitian companions.

§2. Norfolk Island Geography

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 34.6 kmē
  land: 34.6 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  32 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 25%
  forests and woodland: 0%
  other: 75% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA kmē

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

§3. Norfolk Island People

Population:
  1,879 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: NA%
  15-64 years: NA%
  65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate:
  -0.71% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years male: NA years
  female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians

Religions:
  Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 16.4%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)

Languages:
  English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient
  Tahitian

§4. Norfolk Island Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities
  on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and
  Territories

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Kingston

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)

Constitution:
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system:
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common
  law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island
  law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and
    Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony J. MESSNER (since 4
    August 1997)
  head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Ronald Coane
    NOBBS (since 23 February 2000)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the
    Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as
    an advisor to the Administrator
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
    governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative
    Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 23
    February 2000 (next to be held by March 2003)
  election results: Ronald Coane NOBBS elected chief minister; percent of
    Legislative Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who
  have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one
  candidate; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 February 2000 (next to be held by March 2003)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large
  green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band

§5. Norfolk Island Economy

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the
  years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of
  the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in
  the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA% industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Labor force:
  1,395 (1991 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $4.6 million
  expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries:
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Agriculture - products:
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit;
  cattle, poultry

Exports:
  $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)

Exports - commodities:
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small
  quantities of avocados

Exports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Imports:
  $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)

Imports - commodities:
  NA

Imports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency:
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000),
  1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

§6. Norfolk Island Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,087 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1983)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate domestic: NA
  international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian
  programs by satellite) (1998)

Televisions:
  1,200 (1996)

Internet country code:
  .nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

§7. Norfolk Island Transportation

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 80 km
  paved: 53 km
  unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine:
  none (2000 est.)

Airports:
  1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

§8. Norfolk Island Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

§9. Norfolk Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
