Norfolk Island Population: 1,748
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| History | |
| 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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| Geography | |
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| Location: | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 29 02 S, 167 57 E |
| Area: | total: 36 sq km land: 36 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: 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 |
| Natural resources: | fish |
| Land use: | agricultural land: 25% (2011 est.) arable land: 0% (2011 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) permanent pasture: 25% (2011 est.) forest: 11.5% (2011 est.) other: 63.5% (2011 est.) |
| Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards: | tropical cyclones (especially May to July) |
| Current Environment Issues: | inadequate solid waste management; most freshwater obtained through rainwater catchment; preservation of unique ecosystem |
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| People | |
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| Nationality: | noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
| Ethnic groups: | Australian 22.8%, English 22.4%, Pitcairn 20%, Scottish 6%, Irish 5.2% (2011 est.) note: respondents were able to identify up to two ancestries; percentages represent a proportion of all responses from people in Norfolk Island, including those who did not identify an ancestry; only top responses are shown |
| Languages: | English (official) 44.9%, Norfolk (also known as Norfuk or Norf'k, which is a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian) 40.3%, Fijian 1.8%, other 6.8%, unspecified 6.2% (2016 est.) note: data represent language spoken at home |
| Religions: | Protestant 46.8% (Anglican 33.6%, Uniting Church in Australia 12.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.2%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 1.4%, none 26.7%, unspecified 9.5% (2016 est.) |
| Population: | 1,748 (2016 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.01% (2014 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | NA |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: n/a male: n/a female: n/a |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: n/a male: n/a female: n/a (2017 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | n/a |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | n/a |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | n/a |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | n/a |
| Education expenditures: | n/a |
| Literacy: | |
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| Government | |
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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: | non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia; note - the Norfolk Island Regional Council, which began operations 1 July 2016, is responsible for planning and managing a variety of public services, including those funded by the Government of Australia |
| Capital: | name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is a blending of the words "king's" and "town"; the British king at the time of the town's settlement in the late 18th century was George III |
| 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: | history: previous 1913, 1957; latest effective 7 August 1979 amendments: amended many times, last in 2015 (2017) |
| Legal system: | English common law and the laws of Australia |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sir Peter COSGROVE (since 28 March 2014) head of government: Administrator Eric HUTCHINSON (since 1 April 2017) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 4 Legislative Assembly members elections/appointments: 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 (5 seats; councillors directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); mayor elected annually by the councillors elections: elections last held 28 May 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: seats by party - independent 5; composition - men 4, women 1, percent of women 20% note: following an administrative restructuring of local government, the Legislative Assembly was dissolved on 18 June 2015 and 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 courts: Supreme Court of Norfolk Island (consists of the chief justice and several justices); 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: | Norfolk Island Labor Party [Mike KELLY] Norfolk Liberals [John BROWN] |
| International organization participation: | UPU |
| National symbol(s): | Norfolk Island pine |
| National anthem: | name: Come Ye Blessed lyrics/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;" the island does not recognize "Advance Australia Fair" (which other Australian territories use); instead "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (territory of Australia) |
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| Economy | |
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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | n/a |
| Agriculture - products: | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
| Industries: | tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete |
| Labor force: | 978 (2006) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 6% industry: 14% services: 80% (2006 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: 4.6 million (FY99/00) expenditures: 4.8 million (FY99/00) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
| Exports: | n/a |
| Exports - commodities: | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
| Imports: | $NA |
| Imports - commodities: | NA |
| Debt - external: | n/a |
| Exchange rates: | Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.311 (2017 est.) 1.3291 (2016 est.) 1.3291 (2015) 1.3291 (2014 est.) 1.1094 (2013 est.) |
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| Energy | |
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| Communications | |
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| 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 |
| Internet users: | total: 765 percent of population: 34.6% (July 2016 est.) |
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| Transportation | |
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| Airports: | 1 (2013) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total 1 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) |
| Roadways: | total 80 km (2008) paved: 53 km (2008) unpaved: 27 km (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | major seaport(s): Kingston |
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| Military | |
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| Defense is the responsibility of Australia | |
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| Transnational Issues | |
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| Disputes - International: | none |
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Source: CIA - The World Factbook