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Compare Christmas Island (2001) - Western Sahara (2003)
Compare Christmas Island (2001) z Western Sahara (2003)
| Christmas Island (2001) | Western Sahara (2003) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (under de facto control of Morocco) |
| 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% (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | NA | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) |
| Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 11 (2002) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
| Area | total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about the size of Colorado |
| 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. | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. |
| Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
| Capital | The Settlement | none |
| Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew |
| Coastline | 138.9 km | 1,110 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: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
| Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
| Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
| Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none |
| Disputes - international | none | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties have rejected other proposals; Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds |
| 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. | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. |
| Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 83.7 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | NA kWh | 90 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | sparse water and lack of arable land |
| Environment - international agreements | - | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population | Arab, Berber |
| 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) | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (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 |
none |
| Exports | $NA | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | phosphate | phosphates 62% |
| Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts |
| Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
| Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | - |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 40% (1996 est.) |
| 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 | 24 30 N, 13 00 W |
| Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas |
| Highways | total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | $NA | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | consumer goods | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | principally Australia | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) |
| Independence | none (territory of Australia) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
| Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | phosphate mining, handicrafts |
| 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) | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | - |
| Labor force | NA | 12,000 |
| Labor force - by occupation | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 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% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | English, Chinese, Malay | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic |
| Legal system | 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 |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
| Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue |
| Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
| National holiday | NA | - |
| Nationality | noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
| Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility |
| Natural resources | phosphate | phosphates, iron ore |
| Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | - |
| Political parties and leaders | none | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
| Population | 2,771 (July 2001 est.) | 261,794 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 7.77% (2001 est.) | NA% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | 1,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | 0 km |
| Religions | Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991) | Muslim |
| Sex ratio | - | NA (2003 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed |
| Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | about 2,000 (1999 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 0 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | NA | NA |
| Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast |
| Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
| Waterways | none | none |
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