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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2007) - Christmas Island (2001)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2007) z Christmas Island (2001)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)Christmas Island (2001)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryChristmas Island
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 (2007) 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)		 total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Area total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands		 total:
135 sq km

land:
135 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being restored, and 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 tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline 698 km 138.9 km
Constitution - Christmas Island Act of 1958
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT		 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 overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain none
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. 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 by union workers. With the support of the government, Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $34 million casino on Christmas Island, which opened in 1993. As of yearend 1999, gaming facilities at the casino were temporarily closed but were expected to reopen in early 2000. Another economic prospect is the possible location of a space-launching site on the island.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh NA kWh
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military NA kWh
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m		 lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Murray Hill 361 m
Environment - current issues NA NA
Ethnic groups - Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population
Exchange rates - Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch		 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 white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag the flag of Australia is used
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 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 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 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% (2005)		 arable land:
NA%

permanent crops:
NA%

permanent pastures:
NA%

forests and woodland:
NA%

other:
NA%

note:
mainly tropical rainforest of which 60%-70% is in a national park
Languages - English, Chinese, Malay
Legal system the laws of the UK, 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 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth - total population:
NA years

male:
NA years

female:
NA years
Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references Political Map of the World Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm		 contiguous zone:
12 NM

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
Merchant marine - none (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 defense is the responsibility of Australia
National holiday - NA
Nationality - noun:
Christmas Islander(s)

adjective:
Christmas Island
Natural hazards NA the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane phosphate
Net migration rate - NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Political parties and leaders - none
Political pressure groups and leaders - none
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia		 2,771 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 7.77% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 1,000 (1997)
Railways - 24 km to serve phosphate mines
Religions - Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991)
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)		 general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service
Telephones - main lines in use NA NA
Telephones - mobile cellular - 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) NA
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate - NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate - NA%
Waterways - none
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