Christmas Island (2007) | Martinique (2005) | |
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 |
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 49,112/female 47,697)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 145,531/female 145,250) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 20,423/female 24,887) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km water: 40 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than six times 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 France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. |
Birth rate | NA | 14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996) |
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) |
Fort-de-France |
Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 350 km |
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: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique |
Death rate | NA | 6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $180 million (1994) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998) |
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. | The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 1.095 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 1.178 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m |
Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | NA |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | 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 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took office 8 February 2004
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) 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; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils |
Exports | $NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.) |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
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 | a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 6%
industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 14 40 N, 61 00 W |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants |
Highways | - | total: 2,105 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods |
Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.9% (1990) |
International organization participation | none | UPU, WCL, WFTU |
Irrigated land | NA | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | NA | 165,900 (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997) |
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: 10.38%
permanent crops: 9.43% other: 80.19% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | French, Creole patois |
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 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 General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 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 Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9, other 4 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 79.04 years
male: 79.43 years female: 78.64 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7% male: 97.4% female: 98.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land |
Net migration rate | NA | -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP |
Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 432,900 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | 0.76% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Fort-de-France, La Trinite, Marin |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997) |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 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: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 172,000 est (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 319,900 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano |
Total fertility rate | NA | 1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 27.2% (1998) |