Norfolk Island

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

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

Currency

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

none

Economy-overview

The primary economic activity is tourism, which has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and reached 28,000 in FY92/93. Revenues from tourism have helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

Electricity-capacity

NA kW

Electricity-consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity-production

NA kWh

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January 1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993)

Exports

total value: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92) commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92) commodities: NA partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

total: 1,395 (1991 est.) by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

2,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Telephones

1,087 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0

Televisions

1,500 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

Climate

subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

32 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Environment-current issues

NA

Environment-international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: NA% other: 75% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (especially May to July)

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Constitution

Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Data code

NF

Dependency status

territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport and Territories

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and Australia are represented by Administrator A.J. MESSNER (since NA) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister David Earnest BUFFETT (since NA 1995) 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 queen is a hereditary monarch; 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 NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: David Earnest BUFFETT elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

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) elections: last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 9

National capital

Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine (commercial center)

National holiday

Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,179 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.69% (1998 est.)

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)

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Disputes-international

none NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS (commonwealth in political union with the US)

Airports

1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Railways

0 km