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Norfolk Island
administered as an overseas territory of Australia
Polynesians lived on Norfolk Island between 1200 and 1500, but the remote island was uninhabited by the time British explorer James COOK landed on the island in 1774. Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned.<br><br>In 1856, almost 200 Pitcairn Islanders -- descendants of the <em>Bounty </em>mutineers and their Tahitian companions -- were relocated to Norfolk Island because of overcrowding on the Pitcairn Islands. Some returned to the Pitcairn Islands over the next few years, but most settled permanently on Norfolk Island and recreated their previous land tenure and governance structures.
Profile
CapitalKingston
Population2K
Area36 km²
CurrencyAustralian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
At a Glance
Population
2K
