noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
Zealander, Polynesians
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)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
@Norfolk Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Data code: NF
Dependency status: territory of Australia
Government type: NA
National capital: Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine
(commercial center)
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952);
the queen and Australia are represented by Administrator Alan Gardner
KERR (since NA April 1992)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister David
Earnest BUFFETT (since NA 1995)
cabinet: Executive Council is made up of executive members of the
Legislative Assembly
elections : the queen is a hereditary monarch; 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 NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results : David Earnest BUFFETT elected chief minister;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA
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 NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
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
Economy
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 29,000 in FY88/89. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry : NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total : 1,395 (1991 est.)
by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues : $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)
Industries: tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed,
cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports:
total value : $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)
commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Imports:
total value : $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)
commodities: NA
partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.2835 (January
1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993),
1.3600 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Norfolk Island:Communications
Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 900 (1991 est.)
@Norfolk Island:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
(commonwealth in political union with the US)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and
fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point : unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land : 21%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons
(especially August to November)
Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan
by raw sewage contributes to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection
of endangered species conflicts with development
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
@Northern Mariana Islands:People
Population: 53,552 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over : NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : NA
male: NA
female: NA
Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective : NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians,
Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional
beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female : 96% (1980 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form : Northern Mariana Islands
Data code: CQ
Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US;
federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of
the Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected
governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
National capital: Saipan
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986 and the
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages,
immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Froilan C. TENORIO (since NA January
1994) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus C. BORJA (since NA January 1994)
cabinet: NA
elections : governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA
November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997)
election results: Froilan C. TENORIO elected governor of Northern
Mariana Islands; percent of vote - Froilan C. TENORIO (Democrat) 56%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections : Senate - last held NA November 1993 (next to be held NA
November 1997); House of Representatives - last held NA November 1995
(next to be held NA November 1997)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
(Republicans retained a majority of the seats)
note : the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in
Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident
representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican
1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal
District Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL,
leader; Democratic Party, Benigno SABLAN, chairman
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), SPC
Flag description: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on
the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone
used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial
assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally
generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years
1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital
development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992,
funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth
received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97
through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for
infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing major
source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50%
of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural
sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and
small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons.
Industry is small scale, mostly handicrafts, light manufacturing, and
garment production.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $524 million (1994 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,500 (1994 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
total: 7,476 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 22,560
foreign workers (1995)
by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 15% (residents)
Budget:
revenues: $190.4 million
expenditures : $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1
million (FY94/95)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: NA
commodities: garments
partners : NA
Imports: NA
commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum
products
partners : US, Japan
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Northern Mariana Islands:Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic : NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,350 (1987 est.)
Television broadcast stations: none
note: there are 2 cable TV stations
Televisions: 10,650 (1993 est.)
@Northern Mariana Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 362 km (1991 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NORWAY
@Norway:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,515 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413
km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093
km)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel,
iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures : 0%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging
forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air
pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off
its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes
and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest
coastlines in world; Norway and Turkey only NATO members having a land
boundary with Russia
@Norway:People
Population: 4,399,993 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 440,621; female 417,331)
15-64 years : 65% (male 1,446,739; female 1,399,291)
65 years and over: 16% (male 289,426; female 406,585) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.47% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.25 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.09 years
male: 75.29 years
female: 81.07 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant
and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official)
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1976 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Norway:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke);
Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og
Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland,
Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold
Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common
law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent
Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Thorbjoern JAGLAND (since 25
October 1996)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the
Parliament
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; following
parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king
with the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which,
for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats;
members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13 September 1993 (next to be held NA September
1997)
election results : percent of vote by party - Labor 37.1%, Center
Party 18.5%, Conservatives 15.6%, Christian People's 8.4%, Socialist
Left 7.9%, Progress 6%, Left Party 3.6%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%;
seats by party - Labor 67, Center Party 32, Conservatives 18,
Christian People's 13, Socialist Left 13, Progress 10, Left Party 1,
Red Electoral Alliance 1, unawarded 10
note : for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or
Lagting
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by
the king
Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND];
Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Center Party [Anne ENGER
LAHNSTEIN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND]; Socialist
Left [Erik SOLHEIM]; Norwegian Communist [Kare Andre NILSEN]; Progress
Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Liberal [Odd Einar DORUM]; Left Party; Red
Electoral Alliance [Erling FOLKVORD]
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR,
NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOP, UNPREDEP,
UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON
chancery : 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco
consulate(s): Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas A. LOFTUS
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] 22 44 85 50
FAX : [47] 22 44 33 63
Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends
to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to
the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy - overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare
capitalism. The economy consists of a combination of free market
activity and government intervention. The government controls key
areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state
enterprises), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and
areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare
system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50%
of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the
world (46%). A small country with a high dependence on international
trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and
semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized
firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations. The country is
richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish,
forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil sector.
Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more
than half its food needs. Economic growth, only 1.6% in 1993, has
improved steadily over the past few years, resulting in a budget
surplus in 1996. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum
in November 1994. Despite their high per capita income - outstripped
among major nations only by the US - and their generous welfare
benefits, the Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century
when the oil and gas run out.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $114.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,200 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 34.7%
services : 62.4% (1991)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.2% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 2.13 million
by occupation: services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and
fishing 6% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $48.6 billion
expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994
est.)
Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and
paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing