167 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
167 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
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CHRISTMAS ISLAND
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(territory of Australia)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 135 km2; land area: 135 km2
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Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 138.9 km
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Maritime claims:
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Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
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Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
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Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
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Natural resources: phosphate
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Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
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Environment: almost completely surrounded by a reef
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Note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
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PEOPLE
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Population: 2,278 (July 1991), growth rate NA% (1991)
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Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Christmas Islander(s), adjective--Christmas
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Island
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Ethnic divisions: Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%;
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no indigenous population
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Religion: Buddhist 36.1%, Muslim 25.4%, Christian 17.7% (Roman
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Catholic 8.2%, Church of England 3.2%, Presbyterian 0.9%, Uniting Church
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0.4%, Methodist 0.2%, Baptist 0.1%, and other 4.7%), none 12.7%, unknown
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4.6%, other 3.5% (1981)
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Language: English
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Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
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Labor force: NA; all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining
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Company of Christmas Island, Ltd.
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Organized labor: NA
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: Territory of Christmas Island
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Type: territory of Australia
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Capital: The Settlement
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Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
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Independence: none (territory of Australia)
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Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958
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Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of
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Australia
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National holiday: NA
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Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia,
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administrator, Advisory Council (cabinet)
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Legislative branch: none
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Judicial branch: none
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
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Head of Government--Administrator A. D. TAYLOR (since NA)
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Communists: none
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Member of: none
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Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
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Flag: the flag of Australia is used
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ECONOMY
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Overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant
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economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government
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closed the mine as no longer economically viable. Plans have been
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under way to reopen the mine and also to build a casino and hotel to
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develop tourism, with a possible opening date during the first half of
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1992.
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GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
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Unemployment rate: 0%
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Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital
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expenditures of $NA
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Exports: $NA;
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commodities--phosphate;
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partners--Australia, NZ
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Imports: $NA;
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commodities--NA;
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partners--NA
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External debt: $NA
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Industrial production: growth rate NA%
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Electricity: 11,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced,
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13,170 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: phosphate extraction (near depletion)
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Agriculture: NA
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Economic aid: none
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Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar
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($A) = 100 cents
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Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January
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1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905
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(1986), 1.4269 (1985)
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Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Ports: Flying Fish Cove
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Airports: 1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: 4,000 radios (1982)
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
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