2003 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2003 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
none (territory of Australia)
Age structure
0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products
NA
Airports
1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways
- total
- 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) Military Christmas Island
Area
- land
- 135 sq km
- total
- 135 sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
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
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget
- expenditures
- $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
- revenues
- $NA
Capital
The Settlement
Climate
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline
80 km
Constitution
NA
Country name
- conventional long form
- Territory of Christmas Island
- conventional short form
- Christmas Island
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code
AUD
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external
$NA
Dependency status
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
Economic aid - recipient
$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.
Electricity - consumption
NA kWh
Electricity - production
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source
- fossil fuel
- NA%
- hydro
- NA%
- nuclear
- NA%
- other
- NA%
Elevation extremes
- highest point
- Murray Hill 361 m
- lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Ethnic groups
- Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
- note
- no indigenous population (2001)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)
Executive branch
- chief of state
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
- elections
- none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
- head of government
- Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)
Exports
$NA
Exports - commodities
phosphate
Exports - partners
Australia, NZ
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June Communications Christmas Island
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
GDP
purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector
- agriculture
- NA%
- industry
- NA%
- services
- NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
Geographic coordinates
10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean People Christmas Island
Government type
NA
Highways
- paved
- 30 km
- total
- 240 km
- unpaved
- 210 km (2000)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- highest 10%
- NA%
- lowest 10%
- NA%
Imports
$NA
Imports - commodities
consumer goods
Imports - partners
principally Australia
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate
- female
- NA%
- male
- NA%
- total
- NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
International organization participation
none
Internet country code
.cx
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
NA Transportation Christmas Island
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force
NA
Labor force - by occupation
tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- note
- mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
- other
- 100%
- permanent crops
- 0%
Languages
English (official), Chinese, Malay
Legal system
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
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 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003)
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- NA years (2003 est.)
- male
- NA years
- total population
- NA years
Literacy
NA Government Christmas Island
Location
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
- contiguous zone
- 12 NM
- exclusive fishing zone
- 200 NM
- territorial sea
- 12 NM
Merchant marine
none (2002 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Australia Transnational Issues Christmas Island
National holiday
NA
Nationality
- adjective
- Christmas Island
- noun
- Christmas Islander(s)
Natural hazards
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources
phosphate, beaches
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders
none
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
Population
433 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
-9% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors
Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
1,000 (1997)
Railways
24 km to serve phosphate mines
Religions
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Sex ratio
NA (2003 est.)
Telephone system
- domestic
- only analog mobile telephone service is available
- general assessment
- service provided by the Australian network
- international
- satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use
NA
Telephones - mobile cellular
NA
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
600 (1997)
Terrain
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Waterways
none