Christmas Island

§1. Christmas Island Introduction

Background:
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and
  settlement began 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.

§2. Christmas Island Geography

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 kmē
  land: 135 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  138.9 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade
  winds; wet season (December to April)

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% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
    park) (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA kmē

Natural hazards:
  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

§3. Christmas Island People

Population:
  361 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

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

People - note:
  the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,520 as of the
  2005

§4. Christmas Island Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:
  non-self governing 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:
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

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

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 Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
  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 four-year terms)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
    election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

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

§5. Christmas Island Economy

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, projected to begin operations in the near future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $NA

Labor force:
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
  NA

Industries:
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  phosphate

Exports - partners:
  Australia, NZ (2004)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  principally Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
  (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

§6. Christmas Island Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
  domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in
    February 2005
  international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
    INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:
  0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia
  (2006)

Internet country code:
  .cx

Internet hosts:
  2,193 (2005)

Internet users:
  464 (2001)

§7. Christmas Island Transportation

Airports:
  1 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 142 km
  paved: 32 km
  unpaved: 110 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
  Flying Fish Cove

§8. Christmas Island Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

§9. Christmas Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
