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 Religion: NA

Language: English

Literacy: NA%

Labor force: NA; all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas Island, Ltd.

Organized labor: NA

Government

Long-form name: Territory of Christmas Island

Type: territory of Australia

Capital: The Settlement

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia)

Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958

Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia

National holiday: NA

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, Advisory Council (cabinet)

Legislative branch: none

Judicial branch: none

Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);

Head of Government—Administrator A. D. TAYLOR (since NA)

Communists: none

Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)

Flag: the flag of Australia is used

Economy

Overview: Phosphate mining is the only significant economic activity, but in November 1987 the Australian Government announced that the mine would be closed because of labor unrest. Plans are under way to build a casino and hotel to develop tourism.

GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $NA; commodities—phosphate; partners—Australia, NZ

Imports: $NA; commodities—NA; partners—NA

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 11,000 kW capacity; 38 million kWh produced, 16,680 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Agriculture: NA

Aid: none

Currency: Australian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Communications

Ports: Flying Fish Cove

Airports: 1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: 4,000 radios (1982)

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia  Clipperton Island (French possession)



Geography

Total area: undetermined

Comparative area: undetermined

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 11.1 km

Maritime claims:
 * Contiguous zone: 12 nm
 * Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
 * Extended economic zone: 200 nm
 * Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical

Terrain: coral atoll

Natural resources: none

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other (coral)

Environment: reef about 8 km in circumference

Note: located 1,120 km southwest of Mexico in the North Pacific Ocean

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Long-form name: none

Type: French possession administered by High Commissioner of the Republic Jean MONTPEZAT, resident in French Polynesia

Economy

Overview: no economic activity

Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France  65