Christmas Is. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Christmas Island | 
|
|
 |
| Introduction | Christmas Island |
| Background: |
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. 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 km
water: 0 sq km land: 135 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
80 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
| Terrain: |
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Natural
resources: |
phosphate, beaches |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
| Natural
hazards: |
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| People | Christmas Island |
| Population: |
474 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
-9% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000 population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
| Sex
ratio: |
NA |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA years female: NA years male: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence 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 Island |
| Dependency
status: |
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| Government
type: |
NA |
| Capital: |
The Settlement |
| Administrative
divisions: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| Independence: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| National
holiday: |
NA |
| Constitution: |
NA |
| Legal
system: |
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor
general head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Christmas Island
Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year
terms) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002) |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political
pressure groups 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: |
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
| Economy | Christmas Island |
| Economy
- overview: |
Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. |
| 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% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
NA% |
| Labor
force: |
NA |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
| Industries: |
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
NA kWh |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
NA kWh |
| Agriculture
- products: |
NA |
| Exports: |
$NA |
| Exports
- commodities: |
phosphate |
| Exports
- partners: |
Australia, NZ |
| Imports: |
$NA |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
principally Australia |
| Debt
- external: |
$NA |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Australian dollar (AUD) |
| Currency
code: |
AUD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
| Communications | Christmas Island |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
NA |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
service provided by the Australian network domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
1,000 (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
NA |
| Televisions: |
600 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.cx |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
NA |
| Transportation | Christmas Island |
| Railways: |
24 km to serve phosphate mines |
| Highways: |
total: 140 km (not
including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Flying Fish Cove |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
1 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
| Military | Christmas Island |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| Transnational Issues | Christmas Island |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
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