5 km2

_#_Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC

_#_Land boundaries: none

_#_Coastline: 138.9 km

_#_Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 12 nm;

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 3 nm

_#_Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

_#_Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

_#_Natural resources: phosphate

_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

_#_Environment: almost completely surrounded by a reef

_#_Note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

_*_People
_#_Population: 2,278 (July 1991), growth rate NA% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Christmas Islander(s), adjective--Christmas
Island

_#_Ethnic divisions: Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%;
no indigenous population

_#_Religion: Buddhist 36.1%, Muslim 25.4%, Christian 17.7% (Roman
Catholic 8.2%, Church of England 3.2%, Presbyterian 0.9%, Uniting Church
0.4%, Methodist 0.2%, Baptist 0.1%, and other 4.7%), none 12.7%, unknown
4.6%, other 3.5% (1981)

_#_Language: English

_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female 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