style="font-size:15px;"> tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated bytrade winds; wet season December to April
Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
park (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People Christmas Island
Population: 361 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: NA
15–64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:
0% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA
Sex ratio:
NA
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)
Religions:
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay
Literacy:
NA
People - note:
the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508
as of the 2001 Census
Government Christmas Island
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island
Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
of Transport and Regional Services
Government type:
NA
Capital:
The Settlement
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958–59 (1 October 1958)
Legal system:
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law
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
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
