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 Match 53   DB Rec# - 7,505  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Christmas Island 
Text          : 
                                Christmas Island 
 
                                     Header 
 
Affiliation: 
    (territory of Australia) 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia 
Map references: 
    Southeast Asia 
Area: 
  total area: 
    135 sq km 
  land area: 
    135 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC 
Land boundaries: 
    0 km 
Coastline: 
    138.9 km 
Maritime claims: 
  contiguous zone: 
    12 nm 
  exclusive fishing zone: 
    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    3 nm 
International disputes: 
    none 
Climate: 
    tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds 
Terrain: 
    steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau 
Natural resources: 
    phosphate 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    0% 
  permanent crops: 
    0% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    0% 
  forest and woodland: 
    0% 
  other: 
    100% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 


  current issues: 
    NA 
  natural hazards: 
    almost completely surrounded by a reef which can be a maritime hazard 
  international agreements: 
    NA 
Note: 
    located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    889 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    NA 
  15-64 years: 
    NA 
  65 years and over: 
    NA 
Population growth rate: 
    -9% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    NA 
Death rate: 
    NA 
Net migration rate: 
    NA 
Infant mortality rate: 
    NA 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    NA 
  male: 
    NA 
  female: 
    NA 
Total fertility rate: 
    NA 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Christmas Islander(s) 
  adjective: 
    Christmas Island 
Ethnic divisions: 
    Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population 
Religions: 
    Buddhist 36.1%, Muslim 25.4%, Christian 17.7% (Roman Catholic 8.2%, Church 
    of England 3.2%, Presbyterian 0.9%, Uniting Church 0.4%, Methodist 0.2%, 
    Baptist 0.1%, and other 4.7%), none 12.7%, unknown 4.6%, other 3.5% (1981) 
Languages: 
    English 
Labor force: 
    NA 
  by occupation: 
    all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas 
    Island, Ltd. 
 
                                   Government 
 


Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    Territory of Christmas Island 
  conventional short form: 
    Christmas Island 
Digraph: 
    KT 
Type: 
    territory of Australia 
Capital: 
    The Settlement 
Administrative divisions: 
    none (territory of Australia) 
Independence: 
    none (territory of Australia) 
National holiday: 
    NA 
Constitution: 
    Christmas Island Act of 1958 
Legal system: 
    under the authority of the governor general of Australia 
Executive branch: 
  chief of state: 
    Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) 
  head of government: 
    Administrator M. J. GRIMES (since NA) 
  cabinet: 
    Advisory Council 
Legislative branch: 
    none 
Judicial branch: 
    none 
Political parties and leaders: 
    none 
Member of: 
    none 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
    none (territory of Australia) 
US diplomatic representation: 
    none (territory of Australia) 
Flag: 
    the flag of Australia is used 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in 
    December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine as no longer 
    economically viable. Plans have been under way to reopen the mine and also 
    to build a casino and hotel to develop tourism. 
National product: 
    GDP $NA 
National product real growth rate: 
    NA% 
National product per capita: 
    $NA 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    NA% 
Unemployment rate: 
    NA% 


Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $NA 
  expenditures: 
    $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA 
Exports: 
    $NA 
  commodities: 
    phosphate 
  partners: 
    Australia, NZ 
Imports: 
    $NA 
  commodities: 
    consumer goods 
  partners: 
    principally Australia 
External debt: 
    $NA 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate NA% 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    11,000 kW 
  production: 
    30 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    17,800 kWh (1990) 
Industries: 
    phosphate extraction (near depletion) 
Agriculture: 
    NA 
Economic aid: 
    none 
Currency: 
    1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents 
Exchange rates: 
    Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 
    1.4704, (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990) 
Fiscal year: 
    1 July - 30 June 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    NA km 
  paved: 
    NA km 
  unpaved: 
    NA km 
Ports: 
    Flying Fish Cove 
Merchant marine: 
    none 
Airports: 
  total: 
    1 


  with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 
    1 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    NA telephones 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    NA 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    1 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Note: 
    defense is the responsibility of Australia 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996