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Flag
of Christmas Island
Flag Description of
Christmas Island:
territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower
fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the
Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue
with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia,
superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the
island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes
Map of
Christmas Island
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Introduction |
Christmas Island |
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Background:
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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. |
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Geography |
Christmas Island |
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Location:
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Southeastern
Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 30 S, 105
40 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about
three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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138.9 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical with
a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and
humidity moderated by trade winds |
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Terrain:
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steep cliffs
along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
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Natural resources:
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phosphate,
beaches |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the
island is a national park) (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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the narrow
fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard |
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Environment - current issues:
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loss of
rainforest; impact of phosphate mining |
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Geography - note:
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located along
major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
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Population:
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1,402 (July
2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
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Population growth rate:
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0% (2007
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese 70%,
European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
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Religions:
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Buddhist 36%,
Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
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Languages:
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English
(official), Chinese, Malay |
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Literacy:
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NA |
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Government |
Christmas Island |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
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Dependency status:
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non-self
governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
Services |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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name:
The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Independence:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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National holiday:
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Australia
Day, 26 January (1788) |
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Constitution:
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Christmas
Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the
Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
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Legal system:
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under the
authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 20 October 2007 (next to be
held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats -
independents 9 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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none |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Flag description:
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territorial
flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the
upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden
Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue
with the Southern Cross constellation, representing
Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a
green map of the island
note: the flag of Australia is used for official
purposes |
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Economy - overview:
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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 $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed
in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support
the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the
island, expected to begin operations in the near future.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$NA |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$NA
expenditures: $NA |
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Agriculture - products:
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NA |
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Industries:
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tourism,
phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA |
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Exports:
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$NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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phosphate
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Exports - partners:
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Australia, NZ
(2006) |
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Imports:
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$NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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consumer
goods |
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Imports - partners:
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principally
Australia (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency (code):
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Australian
dollar (AUD) |
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Currency code:
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AUD |
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Exchange rates:
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Australian
dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095
(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30
June |
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Communications |
Christmas Island |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older
analog system in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth
stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and
telex service (2005) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 2,
shortwave 0 (2006) |
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Radios:
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1,000 (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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0 (TV
broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia)
(2006) |
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Televisions:
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600 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.cx |
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Internet hosts:
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1,826 (2007)
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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464 (2001)
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Transportation |
Christmas Island |
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Airports:
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1 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
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Roadways:
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total:
142 km
paved: 32 km
unpaved: 110 km (2006) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Flying Fish
Cove |
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Military |
Christmas Island |
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Military - note:
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defense is
the responsibility of Australia |
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Transnational Issues |
Christmas Island |
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