CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island
map of Norfolk Island


Introduction Norfolk Island
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.


Geography Norfolk Island
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
Area - 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
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment - current issues: NA
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


People Norfolk Island
Population: 1,841 (July 2004 est.)
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/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
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.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians
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)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy: NA


Government Norfolk Island
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories
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)
election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA
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)
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
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
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
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation 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 Norfolk Island
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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: tourism NA, subsistence agriculture NA
Unemployment rate: NA
Budget: revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93)
Agriculture - products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Industries: tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Exports: $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)
Exports - commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports: $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Imports - commodities: NA
Imports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Debt - external: NA
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code: AUD
Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June


Communications Norfolk Island
Telephones - main lines in use: 2,532; note: a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)
Telephones - 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2,500 (1996)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)
Televisions: 1,200 (1996)
Internet country code: .nf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: NA


Transportation Norfolk Island
Highways: total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2001)
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)


Military Norfolk Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

This page was last updated on 1 January 2003


This is a snapshot of the CIA World Fact Book as it existed on 26 March 2005