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.

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

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

typhoons (especially May to July)

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

descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian

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

Protestant 45.6% (Anglican 31.8%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%), Roman Catholic 11.5%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

2,182 (July 2012 est.)

-9 births/1,000 population NA

-9 deaths/1,000 population NA

self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government

none (territory of Australia)

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Norfolk Island Act of 1979 as amended in 2005

English common law and the laws of Australia

18 years of age; universal

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 to serve three-year terms)

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

none (territory of Australia)

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; green stands for the rich vegetation on the island, and the pine tree - endemic to the island - is a symbol of Norfolk Island

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.

Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

1 local radio station; broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available via satellite (2009)

defense is the responsibility of Australia