Christmas Island (2001) | Svalbard (2004) | |
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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% |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | NA | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 4 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
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. | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | The Settlement | Longyearbyen |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 3,587 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: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Norwegian krone (NOK) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 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; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Disputes - international | none | despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) |
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. | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox. |
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: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) |
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) | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (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: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
Exports | $NA | 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 | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector | 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 | 78 00 N, 20 00 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area |
Highways | total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | - |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | - |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Norway) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | - |
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 | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | - |
Labor force | NA | 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% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2001) |
Languages | English, Chinese, Malay | Norwegian, Russian |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | NA |
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 |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway |
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
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | none |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) |
National holiday | NA | NA |
Nationality | noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
- |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic |
Natural resources | phosphate | coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | none | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 2,771 (July 2001 est.) | 2,756 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 7.77% (2001 est.) | -0.02% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | - |
Religions | Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991) | - |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | NA | NA |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | NA% | - |
Waterways | none | - |