| GEOGRAPHY |
| Country name: |
conventional long
form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Capital: |
The Settlement |
| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Geographic
Coordinates: |
10 30 S, 105 40 E |
| Area: |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
Comparative: |
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Land
Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
80 km |
| Maritime
Claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
| Terrain: |
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Elavation
Extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Natural
Resources: |
phosphate, beaches |
| GOVERNEMENT |
| Governement
Type: |
NA |
| Administratives
Divisions: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| Independence |
none (territory of Australia) |
| National
Holiday: |
Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Constitution: |
NA |
| Legal
System; |
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
| Suffrage |
|
| Executive
Branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Legislative
Branch: |
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 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
| Judicial
Branch: |
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Political
parties and Leaders: |
none |
| PEOPLE |
| Population: |
361 (July 2005 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
| Median age: |
|
| 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 |
| COMUNICATIONS |
| Telephones - main
lines in use: |
NA |
| Telephones - mobile
cellular: |
NA |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available
international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Television broadcast
stations: |
NA |
| Internet country
code: |
.cx |
| Internet hosts: |
|
| Internet users: |
NA |
| TRANSPORT |
| Railways: |
|
| Highways: |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km
unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
| Waterways: |
|
| Pipelines: |
|
| Ports and harbors: |
Flying Fish Cove |
| Merchant marine: |
|
| Airports: |
1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
|
| Heliports: |
|
