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  Norfolk Island
(territory of Australia)
 
Flag of Norfolk Island
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
 Government
 Economy
 Communications
 Transportation
 Military
 Transnational Issues

This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006


Map of Norfolk Island



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
32 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost 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    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,828 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.01% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
NA
   Government    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Kingston
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 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 branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,345
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 10%
industry and services: 90%
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0%
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million; including capital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollar (AUD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.nf
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
91 (2005)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
700
   Transportation    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
   Military    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of Australia
   Transnational Issues    Norfolk Island Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006


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