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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.

[edit] Geography

Location 

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

Geographic coordinates 

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references 

Oceania

Area 

total: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km

Area - comparative 

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 

0 km

Coastline 

32 km

Maritime claims 

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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

Natural resources 

fish

Land use 

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

NA sq km

Natural hazards 

typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues 

NA

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

[edit] People

Population 

1,866 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (1996)

Population growth rate 

-0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate 

NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate 

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio 

at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate 

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: NA years
female: NA years
male: NA years

Total fertility rate 

NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

Nationality 

noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups 

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

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)

Languages 

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

Literacy 

NA

[edit] Government

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

Government type 

NA

Capital 

Kingston

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)
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 

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 

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

[edit] Economy

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 

NA

Labor force - by occupation 

tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate 

NA%

Budget 

revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries 

tourism

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
other: NA%
nuclear: 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

Debt - external 

$NA

Economic aid - recipient 

$NA

Currency 

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code 

AUD

Exchange rates 

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Fiscal year 

1 July - 30 June

[edit] Communications

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)

Radios 

2,500 (1996)

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)

Internet users 

NA

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine 

none (2002 est.)

Airports 

1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military - note 

defense is the responsibility of Australia

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none