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
Aid
none
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Electricity
11,000 kW capacity; 38 million kWh produced, 16,680 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2784 (January 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 is the only significant economic activity, but in November 1987 the Australian Government announced that the mine would be closed because of labor unrest. Plans are under way to build a casino and hotel to develop tourism.
Unemployment rate
0%
◆ GEOGRAPHY(14 fields)
Climate
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline
138.9 km
Comparative area
about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
12 nm;
Continental shelf
200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Environment
almost completely surrounded by a reef
Exclusive fishing zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Natural resources
phosphate
Note
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Terrain
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Territorial sea
3 nm
Total area
135 km2; land area: 135 km2
◆ GOVERNMENT(14 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
National holiday
NA
Type
territory of Australia
◆ PEOPLE(14 fields)
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
61% Chinese, 25% Malay, 11% European, 3% other; no indigenous population
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
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 (1990)
Literacy
NA%
Nationality
noun--Christmas Islander(s), adjective--Christmas Island
Net migration rate
NA migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
NA
Population
2,278 (July 1990), growth rate 0.0% (1990)
Religion
NA
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman (1990)