Coral Sea Islands (2008) | Coral Sea Islands (2001) | |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total:
less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
Background | 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. | 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. |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form:
Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (July 2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Waterways | - | none |