Christmas Island (2007) | Anguilla (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 24.3% (male 1,575; female 1,526)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 4,504; female 4,262) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 387; female 484) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 3 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | about half 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. | Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. |
Birth rate | NA | 14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
The Valley |
Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 61 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | NA | 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $8.8 million (1998) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $3.5 million (1995) |
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, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. | Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 42.6 million kWh |
Electricity - production | - | NA (2000) |
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: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
black (predominant), mulatto, white |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (since NA February 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $NA | $2.6 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.8% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles |
Highways | - | total: 105 km
paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $NA | $80.9 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles |
Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 3.1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.3% |
International organization participation | none | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Labor force | NA | 6,049 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% (2000 est,) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | English (official) |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on English common law |
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 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 76.7 years
male: 73.79 years female: 79.7 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east 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 |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Anguilla Day, 30 May |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | salt, fish, lobster |
Net migration rate | NA | 12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 12,738 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | 2.21% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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 - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 4,974 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 1,629 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | NA | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 6.7% (2001) |
Waterways | - | none |