Christmas Island (2003) | Guernsey (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
16.22% (male 5,285; female 5,151) 15-64 years: 66.67% (male 21,264; female 21,630) 65 years and over: 17.11% (male 4,546; female 6,466) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
194 sq km land: 194 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than 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. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 9.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues:
$381.3 million expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | The Settlement | Saint Peter Port |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
Coastline | 80 km | 50 km |
Constitution | NA | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form:
Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency) |
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. 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. | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
UK and Norman-French descent |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
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) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $NA | $NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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 | white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5.7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
Highways | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
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 | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, banking |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.99% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | none | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Royal Court |
Labor force | NA | 31,322 (2000) |
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:
NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal 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 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the Bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 People's Deputies elected by popular franchise, 2 Alderney representatives, HM Procureur (Attorney General), HM Comptroller (Solicitor General) and HM Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General)
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
total population:
79.78 years male: 76.78 years female: 82.88 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | NA | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun:
Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | NA |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | cropland |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 3.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 433 (July 2003 est.) | 64,342 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -9% (2003 est.) | 0.39% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | 0 km |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
Sex ratio | NA (2003 est.) | at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 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: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 44,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 12,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | mostly level with low hills in southwest |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.36 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 0.5% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |