Map of Norfolk Island | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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
Land: 34.6 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 32 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA

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


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Population: 1828 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: -0.01% (2005 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 34.9% Roman Catholic 11.7% Uniting Church in Australia 11.2% Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8% Australian Christian 2.4% Jehovah's Witness 0.9% other 2.7% unspecified 15.3% none 18.1% (2001 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: NA

Death rate: NA

Net migration rate: NA

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: NA

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

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

Total fertility rate: NA

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


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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: Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders) 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 Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
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
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 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
Election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
Election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: UPU

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


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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: NA

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 light industry ready mixed concrete

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 1345
By occupation: tourism 90% subsistence agriculture 10%