| Norfolk Island |
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| Introduction | Norfolk Island |
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Background:
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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 |
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Location:
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Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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29 02 S, 167 57 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 34.6 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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32 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons (especially May to July) |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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1,828 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.01% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
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Ethnic groups:
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descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian |
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Literacy:
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NA |
| Government | Norfolk Island |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
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Dependency status:
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territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Kingston |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (territory of Australia) |
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Independence:
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none (territory of Australia) |
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National holiday:
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Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) |
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Constitution:
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Norfolk Island Act of 1979 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 - 17.2% 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 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) 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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territory of Australia) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territory of Australia) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - NA |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA |
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Labor force:
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1,345 |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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tourism 90%, subsistence agriculture 10% |
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Unemployment rate:
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0% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00) |
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Agriculture - products:
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Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
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Industries:
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tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2002) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh |
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Exports:
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$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY99/00) |
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Exports - commodities:
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postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
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Exports - partners:
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Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
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Imports:
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$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) |
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Imports - commodities:
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NA |
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Imports - partners:
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Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
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Debt - external:
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NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency:
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Australian dollar (AUD) |
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Currency code:
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AUD |
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Exchange rates:
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Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3158 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
| Communications | Norfolk Island |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
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Radios:
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2,500 (1996) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005) |
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Televisions:
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1,200 (1996) |
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Internet country code:
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.nf |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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700 |
| Transportation | Norfolk Island |
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Highways:
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total: 80 km
paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade |
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Airports:
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1 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Norfolk Island |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| Transnational Issues | Norfolk Island |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on 17 May, 2005 |