Christmas Island (2001) | Jan Mayen (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
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Agriculture - products | NA | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 377 sq km
land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | This desolate, artic, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. It is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | - |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
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Capital | The Settlement | - |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 124.1 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service |
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 | 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. | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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), 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 |
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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 Norway is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 71 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
Highways | total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
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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 | NA sq km | 0 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:
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 |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | English, Chinese, Malay | - |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
- |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
National holiday | NA | - |
Nationality | noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
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Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985 |
Natural resources | phosphate | none |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 2,771 (July 2001 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 7.77% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there is one radio and meteorological station) (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:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
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Telephones - main lines in use | NA | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | - |
Television broadcast stations | NA | - |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | - |
Unemployment rate | NA% | - |
Waterways | none | - |