from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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.
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Australia
Geographic 29 02 S, 167 57 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature
variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural fish
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural typhoons (especially May to July)
hazards:
Environment - NA
current
issues:
Geography - most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost
note: inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the
sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the
capital of Kingston is situated
People
Population: 1,828 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (2006 est.)
Population -0.01% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration NA
rate:
Sex ratio: NA
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA
expectancy at male: NA
birth: female: NA
Total NA
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
Zealander, Polynesian
Religions: Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in
Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian
Christian 2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%,
unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1% (2001 census)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Dependency territory of Australia; Canberra administers
status: Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through
the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories
Government NA
type:
Capital: name: Kingston
geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E
time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative none (territory of Australia)
divisions:
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn
holiday: Islanders), 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 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by
Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief
Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December
2001)
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 20
October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief
minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2%
Legislative unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
branch: 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 20 October 2004 (next to be held
by December 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats -
independents 9 (note - no political parties)
Judicial Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
branch:
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political none
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International UPU
organization
participation:
Diplomatic none (territory of Australia)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (territory of Australia)
representation
from the US:
Flag three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
description: green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree
centered in the slightly wider white band
Economy
Economy - Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily
overview: 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 $NA
(purchasing
power parity):
Labor force: 1,345
Labor force - agriculture: 10%
by occupation: industry and services: 90%
Unemployment 0%
rate:
Budget: revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million; including capital
expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00)
Agriculture - Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
products: vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Industries: tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete
Electricity - NA kWh
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 0%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2002)
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Exports: $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)
Exports - postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
commodities: Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports - Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
partners: Europe (2004)
Imports: $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Imports - NA
commodities:
Imports - Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
partners: Europe (2004)
Debt - $NA
external:
Economic aid - $NA
recipient:
Currency Australian dollar (AUD)
(code):
Currency code: AUD
Exchange Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005),
rates: 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32)
main lines in circuits (2004)
use:
Telephones - 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002
mobile island referendum) (2002)
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: adequate
system: domestic: free local calls
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial
cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada;
satellite earth station
Radio AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 2,500 (1996)
Television 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that
broadcast bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005)
stations:
Televisions: 1,200 (1996)
Internet .nf
country code:
Internet 100 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 700
users:
Transportation
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2002)
Ports and none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
terminals:
Military
Military - defense is the responsibility of Australia
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: