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: 36 km²
Land: 36 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 235
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 island with mostly rolling plains

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m: highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 25%
Forest: 11.5%
Other: 63.5%

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

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: 2,210 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 231
Growth rate: 0.01% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 196

Nationality
Noun: Norfolk Islander
Adjective: Norfolk Islander

Ethnic groups: Australian 79.5% New Zealander 13.3% Fijian 2.5% Filipino 1.1% English 1% other 1.8% unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official) 67.6% other 32.4% (includes Norfolk Island 23.7% which is a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian) (2011 est.)

Religions: Protestant 49.6% (Anglican 31.8% Uniting Church in Australia 10.6% Seventh Day Adventist 3.2%) Roman Catholic 11.7% other 8.6% none 23.5% unspecified 6.6% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2014 est.)
Rank: 196

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

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

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
Etymology: named by British explorer Captain James COOK after Mary HOWARD Duchess of Norfolk in 1774

Government type: parliamentary democracy (formerly the Legislative Assembly); overseas territory of Australia; note - in May 2015 the Australian Parliament passed the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 which abolished Norfolk Island self-government and replaced it with an interim Advisory Council effective 1 July 2015

Capital
Name: Kingston
Geographic coordinates: 29 03 S 167 58 E
Time difference: UTC+11

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: previous 1913 1957; latest effective 7 August 1979; amended many times last in 2015 (2016)

Legal system: English common law and the laws of Australia

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see Australia

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by the Australian governor general
Head of government: Administrator Gary HARDGRAVE
Cabinet: Executive Council consists of 4 Legislative Assembly members
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Norfolk Island Regional Council
Elections: elections last held 28 May 2016; next to be held 2020
Election results: party by seats - independents 5
Note: following an administrative restructuring of local government the Legislative Assembly was dissolved on 18 June 2015 to be replaced by an interim Norfolk Island Advisory Council effective 1 July 2015; the Advisory Council consisted of 5 members appointed by the Norfolk Island administrator based on nominations from the community; following elections on 28 May 2016 the new Norfolk Island Regional Council commenced operations on 1 July 2016

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Norfolk Island ; note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island are heard by the Federal Court and the High Court of Australia
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor general of Australia from among justices of the Federal Court of Australia; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Petty Court of Sessions; specialized courts including a Coroner's Court and the Employment Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

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; green stands for the rich vegetation on the island and the pine tree - endemic to the island - is a symbol of Norfolk Island
Note: somewhat reminiscent of the flag of Canada with its use of only two colors and depiction of a prominent local floral symbol in the central white band; also resembles the green and white triband of Nigeria

National symbols: Norfolk Island pine

National anthem
Name: 'Come Ye Blessed'
Lyrics and music: New Testament/John Prindle SCOTT
Note: the local anthem whose lyrics consist of the words from Matthew 25:34-36 40 is also known as 'The Pitcairn Anthem;' as a territory of Australia 'God Save the Queen' is official ; however the island does not recognize 'Advance Australia Fair'

National heritage


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Economy overview: Norfolk Island is suffering from a severe economic downturn. Tourism the primary economic activity is the main driver of economic growth. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef poultry and eggs.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $N/A

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Labor force: 978 (2006)
Rank: 229
By occupation agriculture: 6%
By occupation industry: 14%
By occupation services: 80%

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.6 million
Expenditures: $4.8 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

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: $N/A
Commodities: postage stamps seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm small quantities of avocados

Imports: $N/A
Commodities: NA

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate
Domestic: free local calls
International: country code - 672; submarine cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1

Broadcast media: 1 local radio station; broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available via satellite (2009)

Internet
Country code: .nf
Users total: 765
Users percent of population: 34.6%

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2013)
Rank: 229
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 80 km
Paved: 53 km
Unpaved: 27 km
Rank: 217

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Kingston


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs