2011 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2011 Archive (HTML)
Introduction
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
Area
- 36 sq km 36 sq km 0 sq km
- total
- 36 sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
32 km
Elevation extremes
- Pacific Ocean 0 m Mount Bates 319 m
- highest point
- Mount Bates 319 m
- lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
Environment - current issues
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
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- 0% 0% 100% (2005)
- arable land
- 0%
- other
- 100% (2005)
- permanent crops
- 0%
Location
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
- 12 nm 200 nm
- exclusive fishing zone
- 200 nm
- territorial sea
- 12 nm
Natural hazards
typhoons (especially May to July)
Natural resources
fish
Terrain
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
People and Society
Age structure
- 20.2% 63.9% 15.9% (2009 est.)
- 0-14 years
- 20.2%
- 15-64 years
- 63.9%
- 65 years and over
- 15.9% (2009 est.)
Birth rate
NA
Death rate
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
- NA NA NA
- female
- NA
- male
- NA
- total
- NA
Languages
English (official), Norfolk (a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian)
Life expectancy at birth
- NA NA NA
- female
- NA
- male
- NA
- total population
- NA
Literacy
NA
Nationality
- Norfolk Islander(s) Norfolk Islander(s)
- adjective
- Norfolk Islander(s)
- noun
- Norfolk Islander(s)
Net migration rate
NA
Population
2,169 (July 2011 est.)
Population growth rate
0.006% (2011 est.)
Religions
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)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
NA
Sex ratio
NA
Total fertility rate
NA
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of Australia)
Capital
- Kingston 29 03 S, 167 58 E UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
- 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)
Constitution
Norfolk Island Act of 1979 as amended in 2005
Country name
- Territory of Norfolk Island Norfolk Island
- conventional long form
- Territory of Norfolk Island
- conventional short form
- Norfolk Island
Dependency status
self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of Australia)
Executive branch
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general Administrator Owen WALSH (since October 2007) Executive Council made up of 4 of the 9 members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
- cabinet
- Executive Council made up of 4 of the 9 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
- the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
- head of government
- Administrator Owen WALSH (since October 2007)
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; green stands for the rich vegetation on the island, and the pine tree - endemic to the island - is a symbol of Norfolk Island somewhat reminiscent of the flag of Canada with its use of only two colors and depiction of a prominent local floral symbol in the central white band
Government type
NA
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
International organization participation
UPU
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Legal system
English common law and the laws of Australia
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 to serve three-year terms) last held on 17 March 2010 (next to be held in 2013) seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)
- election results
- seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)
- elections
- last held on 17 March 2010 (next to be held in 2013)
National anthem
- "Come Ye Blessed" New Testament/John Prindle SCOTT the local anthem, whose lyrics consist of the words from Matthew 25:34-36, 40, is also known as "The Pitcairn Anthem;" as a territory of Australia, "God Save the Queen" is official (see Australia), however, the island does not recognize "Advance Australia Fair"
- lyrics/music
- New Testament/John Prindle SCOTT
- name
- "Come Ye Blessed"
- the local anthem, whose lyrics consist of the words from Matthew 25
- 34-36, 40, is also known as "The Pitcairn Anthem;" as a territory of Australia, "God Save the Queen" is official (see Australia), however, the island does not recognize "Advance Australia Fair"
National holiday
Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)
National symbol(s)
Norfolk Island pine
Political parties and leaders
none
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Budget
- $4.6 million $4.8 million (FY99/00)
- expenditures
- $4.8 million (FY99/00)
- revenues
- $4.6 million
Debt - external
$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
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.0902 (2010) 1.2822 (2009) 1.2059 (2008) 1.2137 (2007) 1.3285 (2006)
Exports
$NA (FY91/92)
Exports - commodities
postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$NA
Imports
$NA
Imports - commodities
NA
Industries
tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete
Labor force
978 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation
- 10% 90% (2000 est.)
- agriculture
- 10%
- industry and services
- 90% (2000 est.)
Communications
Broadcast media
1 local radio station; broadcasts of several Australian radio and television stations are received via satellite (2009)
Internet country code
.nf
Internet hosts
93 (2010)
Telephone system
- adequate free local calls country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1
- domestic
- free local calls
- general assessment
- adequate
- international
- country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1
Telephones - main lines in use
2,532 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular
NA
Transportation
Airports
1 (2010)
Airports - with paved runways
- 1 (2010)
- 1,524 to 2,437 m
- 1 (2010)
- total
- 1
Ports and terminals
Kingston
Roadways
- 80 km 53 km 27 km (2008)
- total
- 80 km
- unpaved
- 27 km (2008)
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none