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Compare Christmas Island (2002) - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003)

Compare Christmas Island (2002) z South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003)

 Christmas Island (2002)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003)
 Christmas IslandSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
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 (2001) none (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
-
Area total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 3,903 sq km


land: 3,903 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands
Area - comparative about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Rhode Island
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. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population -
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
-
Capital The Settlement -
Climate tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Coastline 80 km NA km
Constitution NA adopted 3 October 1985
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands


conventional short form: none
Currency Australian dollar (AUD) -
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population -
Debt - external $NA -
Dependency status territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of Australia) none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of Australia) none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Disputes - international none briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force
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. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh -
Electricity - production 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: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Environment - current issues NA NA
Ethnic groups Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
-
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (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
-
Exports $NA -
Exports - commodities phosphate -
Exports - partners Australia, NZ -
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June -
Flag description the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
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 10 30 S, 105 40 E 54 30 S, 37 00 W
Geography - note located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia
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 NA sq km 0 sq km (1998 est.)
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%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay -
Legal system under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)


elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002)


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


male: NA years


female: NA years
-
Literacy NA -
Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Map references Southeast Asia Antarctic Region
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 12 NM


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia defense is the responsibility of the UK
National holiday NA Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Nationality noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
-
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Natural resources phosphate, beaches fish
Net migration rate NA migrant(s)/1,000 population -
Political parties and leaders none -
Political pressure groups and leaders none -
Population 474 (July 2002 est.) no indigenous inhabitants


note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% -
Population growth rate -9% (2002 est.) -
Ports and harbors Flying Fish Cove Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) 0 (2003)
Radios 1,000 (1997) -
Railways 24 km to serve phosphate mines -
Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) -
Sex ratio NA -
Telephone system general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Telephones - main lines in use NA -
Telephones - mobile cellular NA -
Television broadcast stations NA 0 (2003)
Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman -
Unemployment rate NA% -
Waterways none none
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