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Compare Spratly Islands (2004) - Christmas Island (2003)

Compare Spratly Islands (2004) z Christmas Island (2003)

 Spratly Islands (2004)Christmas Island (2003)
 Spratly IslandsChristmas Island
Administrative divisions - none (territory of Australia)
Age structure - 0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products - NA
Airports 3 (2003 est.) 1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
-
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative NA about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal claim. 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 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget - revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital - The Settlement
Climate tropical tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline 926 km 80 km
Constitution - NA
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly Islands
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
Currency - Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate - NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $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 all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" none
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. 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, slated to begin operation in 2003.
Electricity - consumption - NA kWh
Electricity - production - NA kWh
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: NA%


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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 - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)
Executive branch - chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)


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 - purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate - NA%
Geographic coordinates 8 38 N, 111 55 E 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Highways - total: 240 km


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 210 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports - $NA
Imports - commodities - consumer goods
Imports - partners - principally Australia
Independence - none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate - NA%
Industries - tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate - total: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - NA%
International organization participation - none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch - Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force - NA
Labor force - by occupation - tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2001)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
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 one-year terms)


elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth - total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2003 est.)
Literacy - NA
Location Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references Southeast Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims NA contiguous zone: 12 NM


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam defense is the responsibility of Australia
National holiday - NA
Nationality - noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
Natural hazards typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential phosphate, beaches
Net migration rate - NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders - none
Political pressure groups and leaders - none
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2004 est.)
433 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - -9% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none; offshore anchorage only Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations - AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways - 24 km to serve phosphate mines
Religions - Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Sex ratio - NA (2003 est.)
Telephone system - general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: 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 flat steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate - NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate - NA%
Waterways - none
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