Christmas Island

More Information

Christmas Island's Information


Capital	Flying Fish Cove
Languages	English (official), Chinese, Malay
Ethnic Groups	Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
Religion	Buddhist 16.9%, Christian 16.4%, Muslim 14.8%, other 1.3%, none 9.2%, unspecified 41.5% (2011 est.)
Government	Non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia
Independance	None (territory of Australia)
Area	135.00 km²
Land Area	135.00 km²
Population	2,205.00
Location	Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Export Commodities	Its main export is phosphate.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include consumer goods.
Climate	Tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Terrain	Steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Where is Christmas Island?

Located in Southeastern Asia, Christmas Island is an island nation. It has a 139.00 km coastline.

The capital city of Christmas Island is Flying Fish Cove which was the first British settlement on the island in 1888. The capital is located in the northern part of the country, close to the office of the Shire of Christmas Island. Due to the location and size of the nation, the population is tiny, numbering just over 2,000 citizens. This small community is diverse and includes people who identify as Chinese, European, Indian, and Malaysian. One of the leading economic industries of Christmas Island is tourism which includes activities such as fishing, scuba diving, boat charters, and photo-safaris. The climate in Christmas Island varies little throughout the year and is usually cloudy or overcast with a temperature ranging from 23°C (73°F) to 29°C (84°F). The small nation is also susceptible to wet monsoon weather and even tropical cyclones.

Geography

Christmas Island has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate with a wet season from December to April and a dry season the rest of the year. Its terrain consists of steep cliffs aong the coast which abruptly rise to a central plateau.

Population

Christmas Island has a population of 2,205 making it the 232nd largest in the world.

English is the official language. The majority ethnic groups are Chinese, European, and Malay. Buddhism, Christianity, and Muslim are all equally practiced on Christmas Island.

The English and Australian influence on the discovery and administration of Christmas Island has undoubtedly led to English becoming the official language of the country. Although the majority of the population (65%) is Chinese, the nation also recognises minority languages such as Hindi and Malaysian. The religious demographics of the island show the cultural diversity within the population. 75% of people on the isle identify with Buddhism, 12% identify as Christian, 10% identify as following Islam, and other religions on the island include Baha'i, Confucianism, and Taoism. English is an essential language for any government official to know as communications with the government of Australia as well as laws and legislation are passed along in English.

The dialing code for the country is 61.

Government

It is a territory of Australia. Its constitution was last ratified in 2010.

Christmas Island is an Australian external territory which means it is administered, and essentially governed, by Australia. The administration duties for the nation were handed over to Australia in 1958 by the British Crown, and the territory became an external part of Australia. The Christmas Island Assembly and the now defunct Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government merged to form the Shire of Christmas Island. This local government organisation provides local services and the first elections for this nine-member council were held in 1993. The polls for the Shire of Christmas Island are conducted every two years, and terms for this assembly are four years. The administrative offices of the Shire of Christmas Island are located near the capital city of Flying Fish Cove.

Economy

The currency of Christmas Island is the Dollar (AUD).

Its major imports include consumer goods.

Flag

The modern flag of Christmas Island was announced in 1986 by the Christmas Island Assembly, but it was not adopted until 2002. This flag was designed by Sydney, Australia resident Tony Crouch after entering a competition and being selected from almost 70 entries. Crouch also received $100 for his design which had been inspired by his time living on the island. This flag is rife with symbolism that is relevant to the island. The green and blue colouring of the background represents the land and sea surround the nation, the Southern Cross and its position on the flag represent the close ties between Australia and Christmas Island. The Golden Bosun bird is a native bird to the island as well as a significant symbol to the people who live here, and a golden disk that is said to represent the area's mining history.