Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2008) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | - | NA |
Airports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | - | NA |
Budget | - | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | - | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 74.1 km | 138.9 km |
Constitution | - | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Death rate | - | NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Attorney-General's Department | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to these islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | NA |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | - | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
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 |
Exports | - | NA |
Exports - commodities | - | phosphate |
Exports - partners | - | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | - | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 12 14 S, 123 05 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | - | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Imports | - | NA |
Imports - commodities | - | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | - | principally Australia |
Independence | - | none (territory of Australia) |
Industries | - | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
International organization participation | - | none |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | - | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | - | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | - | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | fish | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | - | NA |
People - note | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
361 (July 2005 est.) |
Population growth rate | - | 0% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | - | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | NA |
Terrain | low with sand and coral | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | - | NA |