Norfolk Island

Internet country code

.nf

Internet hosts

51 (2008)

Internet users

700 (2002 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1

Telephones - main lines in use

2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0; note - proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that air Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00)

Currency (code)

Australian dollar (AUD)

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 - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)

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 (2006)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA

Imports

$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Imports - commodities

NA

Imports - partners

Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2006)

Industries

tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 10% industry and services: 90%

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

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

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (especially May to July)

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Capital

name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E 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

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

Dependency status

self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department

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 (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Acting Administrator Owen WALSH (since October 2007) 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 and represents the monarch and 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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

International organization participation

UPU

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; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 March 2007 (next to be held by 28 March 2010) election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)

National holiday

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2007 est.)

Birth rate

NA (2008 est.)

Death rate

NA (2008 est.)

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

total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

2,128 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.006% (2008 est.)

Religions

Anglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

Sex ratio

NA

Total fertility rate

NA (2008 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Ports and terminals

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Roadways

total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2008)