Norfolk Island Population: 2,182
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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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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| 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 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% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | typhoons (especially May to July) |
| Current Environment Issues: | NA |
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| People | |
| Population: | 2,182 (July 2012 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2013 est.) |
| Median age: | |
| Population growth rate: | 0.006% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | -9 births/1,000 population NA |
| Death rate: | -9 deaths/1,000 population NA |
| Net migration rate: | NA |
| Sex ratio: | NA |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Total fertility rate: | NA |
| 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, Polynesian |
| Religions: | Protestant 45.6% (Anglican 31.8%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%), Roman Catholic 11.5%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census) |
| Languages: | English (official), Norfolk (a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian) |
| Literacy: | NA |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
| Government type: | NA |
| Capital: | name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 as amended in 2005 |
| 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 the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator Neil POPE (since 1 April 2012) cabinet: Executive Council made up of 4 of the 9 members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia for a two year term and represents the monarch and Australia |
| 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 to serve three-year terms) elections: last held on 13 March 2013 (next to be held in 2016) election results: seats - independents 8; Norfolk Liberals 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
| Political parties and leaders: | Norfolk Island Labor Party [Mike KELLY]; Norfolk Liberals [John BROWN] |
| 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) |
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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): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | |
| GDP - real growth rate: | |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | |
| GDP - composition by sector: | |
| Labor force: | 978 (2006) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 6% industry: 14% services: 80% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | |
| Population below poverty line: | |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | |
| Budget: | revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00) |
| 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: | |
| Exports: | $NA |
| Exports - commodities: | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
| Imports: | $NA |
| Imports - commodities: | NA |
| Debt - external: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 0.963 (2012) 0.9695 (2011) 1.0902 (2010) 1.2822 (2009) 1.2059 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | |
| Cellular Phones in use: | |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .nf |
| Internet hosts: | 128 (2012) |
| Internet users: | |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 228 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Kingston |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of Australia | |
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