2007 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% (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

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

Budget

expenditures

$4.8 million; including capital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00)

revenues

$4.6 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

29 03 S, 167 58 E

name

Kingston

time difference

UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

32 km

Constitution

Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form

Norfolk Island

Currency (code)

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code

AUD

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Debt - external

$NA

Dependency status

self governing territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Transport and Regional Services

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 8 February, 2007

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, Polynesian

Exchange rates

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

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); represented by the Australian governor general

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

head of government

Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)

Exports

$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)

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 (2004)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Imports

$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Imports - commodities

NA

Imports - partners

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004)

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

Industries

tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Infant mortality rate

female

NA

male

NA

total

NA

International organization participation

UPU

Internet country code

.nf

Internet hosts

100 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

700 Transportation Norfolk Island

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Labor force

1,345

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

10%

industry and services

90%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (2005)

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

seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)

elections

last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

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

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

National holiday

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 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

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

1,828 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.01% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade Military Norfolk Island

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios

2,500 (1996)

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)

Roadways

paved

53 km

total

80 km

unpaved

27 km (2002)

Sex ratio

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

free local calls

general assessment

adequate

international

country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station

Telephones - main lines in use

2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Televisions

1,200 (1996)

Terrain

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Total fertility rate

NA

Unemployment rate

0%