Coral Sea Islands (2002) | Coral Sea Islands (2006) | |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005) |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (July 2002 est.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Waterways | none | - |