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