Map of Norfolk Island | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Oceania island in the South Pacific Ocean east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S 167 57 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 34.6 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 34.6 km²
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
Extremes highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)

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


top of page


Population: 1866 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: -0.69% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Norfolk Islander
Adjective: Norfolk Islander

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers Australian New Zealander Polynesians

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

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)

Demographic profile

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: NA male/female
Under 15 years: NA male/female
15-64 years: NA male/female
65 years and over: NA male/female
Total population: NA male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA years
Female: NA years
Male: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
Conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Government type: NA

Capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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
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

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of Australia)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: Norfolk Island pine seed Kentia palm seed cereals vegetables fruit; cattle poultry

Industries: tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA
By occupation: tourism NA% subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

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

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $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

Imports: $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Commodities: NA
Partners: Australia other Pacific island countries NZ Asia Europe

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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)


top of page


Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Production by source fossil fuel: NA%
Production by source hydro: NA%
Production by source other: NA%
Production by source nuclear: NA%
Consumption: NA kWh

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 1087 (1983)
Mobile cellular: 0 (1983)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate
Domestic: NA
International: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .nf
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2001)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs