| Christmas Island |
Flag:
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Map:
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| 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. |
| Geography and Environmental |
Capital: name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Area Total: 135 sq km |
| Area Land: 135 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Comparative: about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 138.9 km |
| Climate: 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 |
| Elevation Extremes Lowest Point: Indian Ocean 0 m |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Natural Resources: phosphate, beaches |
| Land Use Arable Land: 0% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 0% |
| Land Use Other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
| Irrigated Land: NA |
| 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 |
| Population |
| Population: 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: NA |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: NA |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: NA |
| Population Growth Rate: 0% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: NA |
| Death Rate: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: NA |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: NA |
| Total Fertility Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| Religions: Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| Languages: English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Administrative Divisions: none (territory of Australia) |
| Legal System: under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
| 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, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. |
| GDP Purchasing Power Parity: $NA |
| Labor Force: NA |
| Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: NA |
| 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 |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: NA |
| Telephone System General Assessment: service provided by the Australian network |
| Telephone System Domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 |
| Telephone System International: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) |
| Radios: 1,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) |
| Televisions: 600 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 2 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 464 (2001) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 1 (2006) |
| Disputes International: none |