##ciekawa_strona##
Compare Paracel Islands (2006) - Christmas Island (2005)
Compare Paracel Islands (2006) z Christmas Island (2005)
| Paracel Islands (2006) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | - | none (territory of Australia) |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
| Agriculture - products | - | NA |
| Airports | 1 (2006) | 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | NA | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun 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. |
| Birth rate | - | NA |
| Budget | - | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
| Capital | - | The Settlement |
| Climate | tropical | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
| Coastline | 518 km | 138.9 km |
| Constitution | - | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Death rate | - | NA |
| Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territory of Australia) |
| Disputes - international | occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | NA |
| Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | 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 |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
| Ethnic groups | - | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| Exchange rates | - | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
| Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | - | NA |
| Exports - commodities | - | phosphate |
| Exports - partners | - | Australia, NZ |
| Fiscal year | - | 1 July - 30 June |
| Flag description | - | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | NA |
| Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
| Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| Highways | - | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
| Imports | - | NA |
| Imports - commodities | - | consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | - | principally Australia |
| Independence | - | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industries | - | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| Infant mortality rate | - | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| International organization participation | - | none |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | - | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | NA |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
| Languages | - | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Legal system | - | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian 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 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
| Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Literacy | - | NA |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Military - note | occupied by China | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| National holiday | - | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Nationality | - | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
| Natural hazards | typhoons | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Natural resources | none | phosphate, beaches |
| Net migration rate | - | NA |
| People - note | - | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
| Political parties and leaders | - | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons |
361 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population growth rate | - | 0% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Flying Fish Cove |
| Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Religions | - | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| Sex ratio | - | NA |
| 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 - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | - | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | - | NA |
| Terrain | mostly low and flat | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Total fertility rate | - | NA |
Sitemap:
Compare countries listing (map site) |
Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.