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| Christmas Island |
 Click to enlarge |
Home Reference Maps Appendixes
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Population: |
433 (July 2003 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
-9% (2003 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
NA (2003 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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% |
| 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 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
 |
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