Norfolk Island (continued)
Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Uniting Church in Australia, and Seventh-Day Adventist
Language: English (official) and Norfolk—a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
Literacy: NA%, but probably high
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 NA (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(9 total) percent of seats by party NA
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 almost 30,000 in 1986. 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.
GNP: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $3.4 million; expenditures $3.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY88)
Exports: $1.8 million (f.o.b., FY85); commodities—postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia Palm, small quantities of avocados; partners—Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports: $16.3 million (c.i.f., FY85); commodities—NA; partners—Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe
External debt: NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 7,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 3,210 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism
Agriculture: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit, cattle, poultry
Aid: none
Currency: Australian dollar (plural dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2784 (January 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
Northern Mariana Islands (commonwealth associated with the US)
_Northern_Mariana_Islands.jpg)
See regional map X
Geography
Total area: 477 km²; land area: 477 km²;
includes Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims:
- Contiguous zone: 12 nm
- Continental shelf: 200 m
- Extended economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to July, rainy season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is 471 meters (Mt. Tagpochu on Saipan)
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use: 1% arable land; NA% permanent crops; 19% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other
Environment: Mt. Pagan is an active volcano (last erupted in October 1988); subject to typhoons during the rainy season
Note: strategic location 5,635 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines
People
Population: 22,719 (July 1990), growth
rate 3.4% (1990)
Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: -3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
