2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) Military Norfolk Island

Area

land

34.6 sq km

total

34.6 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

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 Norfolk Island

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 92/93)

revenues

$4.6 million

Capital

Kingston

Climate

subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

32 km

Constitution

Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form

Norfolk Island

Currency

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code

AUD

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2002)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Bates 319 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)

Executive branch

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

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)

election results

Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA%

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 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004)

head of government

Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)

Exports

$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY 91/92)

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

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Norfolk Island

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 Economy Norfolk Island

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Geographic coordinates

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Geography - note

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

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

53 km

total

80 km

unpaved

27 km (2001)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY 91/92)

Imports - commodities

NA

Imports - partners

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism

Infant mortality rate

female

NA%

male

NA%

total

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

International organization participation

none

Internet country code

.nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Norfolk Island

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

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

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

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)

election results

percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

elections

last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA years (2003 est.)

male

NA years

total population

NA years

Literacy

NA Government Norfolk Island

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

National holiday

Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)

Nationality

adjective

Norfolk Islander(s)

noun

Norfolk Islander(s)

Natural hazards

typhoons (especially May to July)

Natural resources

fish

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

1,853 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.01% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2,500 (1996)

Railways

0 km

Religions

Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)

Sex ratio

NA (2003 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

adequate

international

radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Telephones - main lines in use

1,087 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1983)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

1,200 (1996)

Terrain

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Waterways

none