Norfolk Island (2001) | Baker Island (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
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Agriculture - products | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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. | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | - |
Budget | revenues:
$4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93) |
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Capital | Kingston | - |
Climate | subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
Coastline | 32 km | 4.8 km |
Constitution | Norfolk Island Act of 1979 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
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. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | no natural fresh water resources |
Ethnic groups | descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians | - |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) | - |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony J. MESSNER (since 4 August 1997) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Ronald Coane NOBBS (since 23 February 2000) 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 23 February 2000 (next to be held by March 2003) election results: Ronald Coane NOBBS elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA% |
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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 | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | - |
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 | the flag of the US is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 29 02 S, 167 57 E | 0 13 N, 176 31 W |
Geography - note | - | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife |
Highways | total:
80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92) | - |
Imports - commodities | NA | - |
Imports - partners | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe | - |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | tourism | - |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | - |
International organization participation | none | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions | - |
Labor force | 1,395 (1991 est.) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA% | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 0% other: 75% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian | - |
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 | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply |
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 23 February 2000 (next to be held by March 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
- |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard |
National holiday | Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
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Natural hazards | typhoons (especially May to July) | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | fish | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 1,879 (July 2001 est.) | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | -0.71% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade | none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Radios | 2,500 (1996) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | 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) | - |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 1,087 (1983) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1983) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998) | - |
Terrain | volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | - |
Transportation - note | - | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast |
Unemployment rate | NA% | - |
Waterways | none | - |