NORFOLK ISLAND
(territory of Australia)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 34.6 km2; land area: 34.6 km2
Comparative area: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
25%; forest and woodland 0%; other 75%
Environment: subject to typhoons (especially May to July)
Note: located 1,575 km east of Australia in the South Pacific
Ocean
PEOPLE
Population: 2,576 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Norfolk Islander(s);
adjective--Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic divisions: descendants of the Bounty mutiny; more recently,
Australian and New Zealand settlers
Religion: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in
Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%,
other 2.4% (1986)
Language: English (official) and Norfolk--a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: NA
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Territory of Norfolk Island
Type: territory of Australia
Capital: Kingston (administrative center), Burnt Pine (commercial
center)
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1957
Legal system: wide legislative and executive responsibility under
the Norfolk Island Act of 1979; Supreme Court
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June
(1856)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia,
administrator, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Administrator H. B. MACDONALD (since NA 1989), who is
appointed by the Governor General of Australia;
Head of Government--Assembly President and Chief Minister John
Terence BROWN (since NA)
Political parties and leaders: NA
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Legislative Assembly--last held 1989 (held every three years);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(9 total) percent of seats by party NA
Member of: none
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
Flag: 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: The primary economic activity is tourism, which has
brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific
Islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and
reached 29,000 in FY89. Revenues from tourism have given the
island a favorable balance of trade and helped the agricultural sector to
become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $4.2 million, including
capital expenditures of $400,000 (FY89)
Exports: $1.7 million (f.o.b., FY86);
commodities--postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine
and Kentia Palm, small quantities of avocados;
partners--Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports: $15.6 million (c.i.f., FY86);
commodities--NA;
partners--Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
External debt: NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 7,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced,
3,160 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: tourism
Agriculture: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
vegetables, fruit, cattle, poultry
Economic aid: none
Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars);
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January
1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905
(1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 80 km of roads, including 53 km of sealed roads;
remainder are earth formed or coral surfaced
Ports: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
(Australian owned)
Telecommunications: 1,500 radio receivers (1982); radio link
service with Sydney; 987 telephones (1983); stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV
DEFENSE FORCES
Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia