Christmas Island: Background & Geography

Introduction Christmas Island
Background:
 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.
Geography Christmas Island
Location:
 Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Map references:
 Southeast Asia
Area:
 total: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 135 sq km
Area - comparative:
 about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 80 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade 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 (1998 est.)
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

See Also: