1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
32 km
Comparative area
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
subject to typhoons (especially May to July)
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 25%; forest and woodland 0%; other 75%
Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources
fish
Note
located 1,575 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean
Terrain
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Total area
34.6 km2; land area: 34.6 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
descendants of the Bounty mutiny; more recently, Australian and New Zealand settlers
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
NA
Language
English (official) and Norfolk--a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Life expectancy at birth
NA years male, NA years female (1991)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun--Norfolk Islander(s); adjective--Norfolk Islander(s)
Net migration rate
NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
NA
Population
2,576 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
Religion
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)
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of Australia)
Capital
Kingston (administrative center), Burnt Pine (commercial center)
Constitution
Norfolk Island Act of 1957
Diplomatic representation
none (territory of Australia)
Elections
Legislative Assembly--last held 1989 (held every three years); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(9 total) percent of seats by party NA
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, Executive Council (cabinet)
Flag
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
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Administrator H. B. MACDONALD (since NA 1989), who is appointed by the Governor General of Australia; Head of Government--Assembly President and Chief Minister John Terence BROWN (since NA)
Legal system
wide legislative and executive responsibility under the Norfolk Island Act of 1979; Supreme Court
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly
Long-form name
Territory of Norfolk Island
Member of
none
National holiday
Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)
Political parties and leaders
NA
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
territory of Australia
Economy
Agriculture
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit, cattle, poultry
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $4.2 million, including capital expenditures of $400,000 (FY89)
Currency
Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
none
Electricity
7,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 3,160 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Exports
$1.7 million (f.o.b., FY86); commodities--postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia Palm, small quantities of avocados; partners--Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
External debt
NA
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
GDP
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Imports
$15.6 million (c.i.f., FY86); commodities--NA; partners--Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Overview
The primary economic activity is tourism, which has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific Islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and reached 29,000 in FY89. Revenues from tourism have given the island a favorable balance of trade and helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m (Australian owned)
Highways
80 km of roads, including 53 km of sealed roads; remainder are earth formed or coral surfaced
Ports
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Telecommunications
1,500 radio receivers (1982); radio link service with Sydney; 987 telephones (1983); stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of Australia _%_