Christmas Island (2001) | Norfolk Island (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.2 times 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. | Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93) |
Capital | The Settlement | Kingston |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 32 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958 | Norfolk Island Act of 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories |
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 | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | 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. | Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 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: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population | descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians |
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) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA |
Exports | $NA | $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92) |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 29 02 S, 167 57 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated |
Highways | total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $NA | $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | NA |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | NA |
International organization participation | none | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
Labor force | NA | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) | tourism NA, subsistence agriculture NA |
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% (2001) |
Languages | English, Chinese, Malay | English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island 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 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | none |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | NA | Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) |
Nationality | noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | typhoons (especially May to July) |
Natural resources | phosphate | fish |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 2,771 (July 2001 est.) | 1,841 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 7.77% (2001 est.) | -0.01% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | - |
Religions | Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991) | Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996) |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite service planned for near future |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 2,532; note: a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA |
Waterways | none | - |