Baker Island (2004) | Christmas Island (2002) | |
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 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2003 est.) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. | 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 births/1,000 population |
Budget | - | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | - | The Settlement |
Climate | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 4.8 km | 80 km |
Constitution | - | NA |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | - | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | - | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | 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, slated to begin operation in 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | - | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) 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 the US 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 | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 0 13 N, 176 31 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | - | total: 140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry)
paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $NA |
Imports - commodities | - | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | - | principally Australia |
Independence | - | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | - | NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | NA% |
International organization participation | - | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | the laws of the US, 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 one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | - | NA |
Nationality | - | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | - | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (2004 est.) |
474 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | -9% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 24 km to serve phosphate mines |
Religions | - | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: 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, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | - | NA children born/woman |
Transportation - note | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast | - |
Unemployment rate | - | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |