The World Factbook | ||
Norfolk Island |
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Introduction | Norfolk Island |
Background:
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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 |
Location:
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Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
Geographic coordinates:
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29 02 S, 167 57 E |
Map references:
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Oceania |
Area:
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total: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 34.6 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
Coastline:
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32 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate:
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subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
Terrain:
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volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
Natural resources:
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fish |
Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
Natural hazards:
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typhoons (especially May to July) |
Environment - current issues:
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NA |
Geography - note:
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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 |
Population:
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1,841 (July 2004 est.) |
Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate:
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-0.01% (2004 est.) |
Birth rate:
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NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Death rate:
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NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Net migration rate:
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NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Sex ratio:
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NA |
Infant mortality rate:
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total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
Total fertility rate:
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NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
Nationality:
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noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
Ethnic groups:
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descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians |
Religions:
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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) |
Languages:
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English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian |
Literacy:
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NA |
Government | Norfolk Island |
Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
Dependency status:
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territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Government type:
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NA |
Capital:
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Kingston |
Administrative divisions:
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none (territory of Australia) |
Independence:
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none (territory of Australia) |
National holiday:
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Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) |
Constitution:
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Norfolk Island Act of 1979 |
Legal system:
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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:
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18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
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) 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 |
Legislative branch:
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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 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
Political parties and leaders:
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none |
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
International organization participation:
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UPU |
Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territory of Australia) |
Flag description:
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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 |
Economy - overview:
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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:
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purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate:
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NA |
GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
Population below poverty line:
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NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA |
Labor force:
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NA |
Labor force - by occupation:
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tourism NA, subsistence agriculture NA |
Unemployment rate:
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NA |
Budget:
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revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93) |
Agriculture - products:
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Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
Industries:
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tourism |
Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
Electricity - production:
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NA kWh |
Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh |
Exports:
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$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92) |
Exports - commodities:
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postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
Exports - partners:
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Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Imports:
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$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) |
Imports - commodities:
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NA |
Imports - partners:
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Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Debt - external:
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NA |
Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
Currency:
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Australian dollar (AUD) |
Currency code:
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AUD |
Exchange rates:
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Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
Communications | Norfolk Island |
Telephones - main lines in use:
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2,532; note: a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular:
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0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002) |
Telephone system:
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general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite service planned for near future |
Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios:
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2,500 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations:
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1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998) |
Televisions:
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1,200 (1996) |
Internet country code:
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.nf |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
Internet users:
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NA |
Transportation | Norfolk Island |
Highways:
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total: 80 km
paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
Ports and harbors:
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none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade |
Merchant marine:
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none |
Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Military | Norfolk Island |
Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Transnational Issues | Norfolk Island |
Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 |