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.

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 km²

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

Population: 1841 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: -0.01% (2004 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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

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

Environment
Current issues: NA

Sex ratio: NA

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

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

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy: NA

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)

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

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 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004)
Election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA

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: 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

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 growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - NA

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

Population below poverty line: NA

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

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

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA

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

Debt external: NA

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003) 1.8406 (2002) 1.9320 (2001) 1.7173 (2000) 1.5497 (1999)

Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Consumption: NA kWh

Telephones
Main lines in use: 2,532; note: a mix of analog (2,500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)
Mobile cellular: 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate
Domestic: NA
International: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite service planned for near future

Internet
Country code: .nf
Users: NA

Airports: 1 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: none