Profile - Christmas Island

7/30/2019 Profile - Christmas Island

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Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background: Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed andsettlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location: Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic

coordinates:

10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 135 sq kmland: 135 sq kmwater: 0 sq km

Area -comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

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Landboundaries:

0 km

Coastline: 138.9 km

Maritimeclaims:

territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmClimate: tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and

humidity moderated by trade winds

Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevationextremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Naturalresources:

phosphate, beaches

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a nationalpark) (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Naturalhazards:

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment -current issues:

loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Geography -

note:

located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 1,402 (July 2007 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA15-64 years: NA65 years and over: NA

Populationgrowth rate:

0% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: NA (2008 est.)

Death rate: NA (2008 est.)

Net migrationrate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortalityrate:

total: NAmale: NA




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female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancyat birth:

total population: NAmale: NAfemale: NA (2008 est.)

Total fertility

rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adultprevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS -people living

with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS -deaths:

NA

Nationality: noun: Christmas Islander(s)adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups: Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions: Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages: English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy: NA

Government Christmas Island

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island

conventional short form: Christmas IslandDependency

status:non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra bythe Australian Attorney-General's Department

Governmenttype:

NA

Capital: name: The Settlementgeographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 Etime difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)

Administrativedivisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

Nationalholiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by theTerritories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:




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under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australianlaw

Executivebranch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by the Australian governor generalhead of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by thegovernor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislativebranch:

unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: held every two years with half the members standing forelection; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political partiesand leaders:

none

Politicalpressure

groups andleaders:

none

Internationalorganization

participation:

none

Diplomaticrepresentation

in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomaticrepresentation

from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flagdescription:

territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; theupper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Birdsuperimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Crossconstellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellowdisk displays a green map of the islandnote: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes

Economy Christmas Island

Economy -overview:

Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but inDecember 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, themine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 millioncasino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Governmentin 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launchingsite on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future.

GDP(purchasing

$NA




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power parity):

Labor force: NA

Budget: revenues: $NAexpenditures: $NA

Agriculture -

products:NA

Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Electricity -production by

source:

fossil fuel: NAhydro: NAnuclear: NAother: NA

Exports: $NA

Exports -commodities:

phosphate

Exports -partners:

Australia, NZ (2006)

Imports: $NA

Imports -commodities:

consumer goods

Imports -partners:

principally Australia (2006)

Economic aid -recipient:

$NA

Currency(code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones -main lines in

use:

NA

Telephonesystem:

general assessment: service provided by the Australian networkdomestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system inFebruary 2005international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsatprovides telephone and telex service) (2005)

Radio AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)




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broadcaststations:

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Televisionbroadcast

stations:

0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006)

Televisions: 600 (1997)

Internet countrycode:

.cx

Internet hosts: 1,826 (2007)

Internet ServiceProviders

(ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users: 464 (2001)

Transportation Christmas Island

Airports: 1 (2007)

Airports - withpaved runways:

total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways: total: 140 kmpaved: 30 kmunpaved: 110 km (2007)

Ports andterminals:

Flying Fish Cove

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational

IssuesChristmas Island

Disputes -international:

none

This page was last updated on 2 October, 2008


Profile - Christmas Island

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