Christmas Island (2003) | French Guiana (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas department of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 29.3% (male 29,262/female 27,947)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 67,895/female 58,534) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,038/female 5,830) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 11 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 91,000 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Indiana |
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. | First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 20.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) |
Capital | The Settlement | Cayenne |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 80 km | 378 km |
Constitution | NA | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1.2 billion (1988) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | none | Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana |
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. 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. | The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 427.9 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 460.1 million kWh (2002) |
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: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) | Euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
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: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils |
Exports | $NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
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 | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 4 00 N, 53 00 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent |
Highways | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
total: 817 km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
total: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 1.5% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | none | UPU, WCL, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana) |
Labor force | NA | 58,800 (1997) |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) | agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 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: 0.14%
permanent crops: 0.05% other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | French |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | French legal system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.09 years
male: 73.77 years female: 80.58 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname |
Map references | Southeast Asia | South America |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | registered in other countries: 3 |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | NA | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 433 (July 2003 est.) | 195,506 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -9% (2003 est.) | 2.1% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | Degrad des Cannes |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998) |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | - |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | NA (2003 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
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: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 51,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 138,200 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) | 3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 22% (2001) |
Waterways | none | 3,760 km
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004) |