SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(3 fields)
Airports
1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Ports
Flying Fish Cove
Telecommunications
4,000 radios (1982)
◆ DEFENSE FORCES(1 fields)
Note
defense is the responsibility of Australia
◆ ECONOMY(16 fields)
Agriculture
NA
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
none
Electricity
11,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 13,170 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
Exports
$NA; commodities--phosphate; partners--Australia, NZ
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
GDP
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Imports
$NA; commodities--NA; partners--NA
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
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, with a possible opening date during the first half of 1992.
Unemployment rate
0%
◆ GEOGRAPHY(10 fields)
Climate
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline
138.9 km Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm
Comparative area
about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
almost completely surrounded by a reef
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Natural resources
phosphate
Note
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Terrain
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total area
135 km2; land area: 135 km2
◆ GOVERNMENT(15 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (territory of Australia)
Capital
The Settlement
Communists
none
Constitution
Christmas Island Act of 1958
Diplomatic representation
none (territory of Australia)
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, Advisory Council (cabinet)
Flag
the flag of Australia is used
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
Judicial branch
none Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Head of Government--Administrator A. D. TAYLOR (since NA)
Legal system
under the authority of the governor general of Australia
Legislative branch
none
Long-form name
Territory of Christmas Island
Member of
none
National holiday
NA
Type
territory of Australia
◆ PEOPLE(14 fields)
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%; no indigenous population
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
NA; all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas Island, Ltd.
Language
English
Life expectancy at birth
NA years male, NA years female (1991)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun--Christmas Islander(s), adjective--Christmas Island
Net migration rate
NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
NA
Population
2,278 (July 1991), growth rate NA% (1991)
Religion
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)
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman (1991)