| 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. |
| Location: |
Oceania, island
in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
29 02 S, 167 57 E |
| Area: |
total:
34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
about 0.2 times
the size of Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
| Climate: |
subtropical,
mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
| Terrain: |
volcanic
formation with mostly rolling plains |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 75% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons
(especially May to July) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Population: |
1,879 (July 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
-0.71% (2001
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000
population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children
born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
| Ethnic
groups: |
descendants of
the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians |
| Religions: |
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) |
| Languages: |
English
(official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and
ancient Tahitian |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
| Dependency
status: |
territory of
Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth
responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of
Environment, Sport, and Territories |
| Administrative
divisions: |
none (territory
of Australia) |
| Independence: |
none (territory
of Australia) |
| National
holiday: |
Pitcairners
Arrival Day, 8 June (1856) |
| Constitution: |
Norfolk Island
Act of 1979 |
| 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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
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)
head of government: Assembly President and
Chief Minister Ronald Coane NOBBS (since 23 February 2000)
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
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 23 February 2000 (next to be held by March 2003)
election results: Ronald Coane NOBBS elected
chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA% |
| 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)
elections: last held 23 February 2000 (next to
be held by March 2003)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats
- independents 9 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court;
Court of Petty Sessions |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
none |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (territory
of Australia) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (territory
of Australia) |
| 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
- 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. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $NA |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $NA |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
NA% |
| Labor
force: |
1,395 (1991 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
tourism NA%,
subsistence agriculture NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY92/93) |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
NA kWh |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
NA kWh |
| Agriculture
- products: |
Norfolk Island
pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit;
cattle, poultry |
| 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 |
| Imports: |
$17.9 million
(c.i.f., FY91/92) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
NA |
| Imports
- partners: |
Australia, other
Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Australian dollar
(AUD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Australian
dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173
(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773
(1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1,087 (1983) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
0 (1983) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with
Sydney (Australia) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 3,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (local
programming station plus two repeaters that bring in
Australian programs by satellite) (1998) |
| Televisions: |
1,200 (1996) |
| Internet
country code: |
.nf |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; loading
jetties at Kingston and Cascade |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of Australia |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
