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Compare Christmas Island (2006) - Saint Martin (2007)
Compare Christmas Island (2006) z Saint Martin (2007)
| Christmas Island (2006) | Saint Martin (2007) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | - |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | NA | - |
| Airports | 1 (2006) | 1 |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
| Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
| Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began 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. | Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. |
| Birth rate | NA | - |
| Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
- |
| Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour |
| Climate | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season (December to April) | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season |
| Coastline | 138.9 km | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
| Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
| Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin |
| Death rate | NA | - |
| Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Disputes - international | none | - |
| 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, projected to begin operations in the near future. | The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
| Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water |
| Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian |
| Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Louis-Constant FLEMING (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Louis-Constant FLEMING unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
| Exports | $NA | - |
| Exports - commodities | phosphate | - |
| Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2004) | - |
| Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | - |
| Flag description | territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes | the flag of France is used |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
| Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 18 05 N, 63 57 W |
| Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten |
| Imports | $NA | - |
| Imports - commodities | consumer goods | crude petroleum, food, manufactured items |
| Imports - partners | principally Australia (2004) | US, Mexico (2006) |
| Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry |
| Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
| International organization participation | none | UPU |
| Irrigated land | NA | - |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | - |
| Labor force | NA | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
- |
| Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) |
| Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
| Literacy | NA | - |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
- |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of France |
| National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) |
| Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
- |
| Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | - |
| Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | salt |
| Net migration rate | NA | - |
| Political parties and leaders | none | Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
| Population | 1,493 (July 2006 est.) | 33,102 (October 2004 census) |
| Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | FM 3 (2007) |
| Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu |
| Sex ratio | NA | - |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age, universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Gudaloupe |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | - |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia (2006) | - |
| Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | - |
| Total fertility rate | NA | - |
| Transportation - note | - | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten |
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