Norfolk Island

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Territory of Norfolk Island
Flag
Motto: Inasmuch
CapitalKingston
Largest cityBurnt Pine
Official languagesEnglish ,Norfuk
GovernmentSocial Democracy, Directly administered dependency
• Prime Minister
Sahand of Goono Goono
• Administrator
Eric Hutchinson
EstablishmentApril 2, 2020
Population
• Census
1,748
CurrencyCanadian Dollar,American Dollar, Australian Dollar
Time zoneUTC +11: 30
Website
.nf
Preceded by
Norfolk

Norfolk Island (/ˈnɔːrfək/, locally /ˈnɔːrfoʊk/; Norfuk: Norf'k Ailen), is located in the Pacific Ocean between Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, 1,412 kilometres (877 mi) directly east of Australia's Evans Head, and about 900 kilometres (560 mi) from Lord Howe Island. Together with the neighbouring Phillip Island and Nepean Island, the three islands collectively form the Territory of Norfolk Island, one of the Commonwealth of the Aleutian Overseas Territories. At the 2016 Australian census, it had 1748 inhabitants living on a total area of about 35 km2 (14 sq mi). Its capital is Kingston.

Norfolk Island is the main island in a group comprising the Aleutian Islands overseas territory of Norfolk Island, situated in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand approximately 692 km (430 mi) south of New Caledonia. The first known settlers in Norfolk Island were East Polynesians but they were long gone when Great Britain settled it as part of its 1788 settlement of Australia. The island served as a convict penal settlement from 6 March 1788 until 5 May 1855, except for an 11-year hiatus between 15 February 1814 and 6 June 1825, when it lay abandoned. On 8 June 1856, permanent civilian residence on the island began when it was settled from Pitcairn Island. In 1914 the UK handed Norfolk Island over to Australia to administer as an external territory.

Native to the island, the evergreen Norfolk Island pine is a symbol of the island and is pictured on its flag. The pine is a key export for Norfolk Island, being a popular ornamental tree in some of the world.