(c.i.f., FY91/92)

Imports - commodities: NA

Imports - partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January
2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996),
1.3486 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Norfolk Island:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,087 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1983)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station plus two
repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Televisions: 1,200 (1996)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

@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 (1999 est.)

Airports: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

@Norfolk Island:Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

@Norfolk Island:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

______________________________________________________________________

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

@Northern Mariana Islands:Introduction

Background: Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory
of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in
the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links
with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A
covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US
was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into
effect in 1978.

@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 ec