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ChristmasIsland
Overview:
ChristmasIslandisanIndianOceanTerritoryoftheCommonwealthofAustralia,administeredbytheAustralianDepartmentofTransportandRegionalServices.Itisaparliamentarydemocracythatretainsresponsibilityforinternalmatters.
Territory:
Land:135sq.km.(52sq.mi.).19km(7mi.)x14km(5mi.).Highestelevation:361m(1,184ft).
Location:
Located360km.(224miles)SouthofJakarta,Indonesia,and2,650km(1,647miles)NorthwestofPerth,Australia.
LatitudeandLongitude:
1030SouthLatitudeand10540EastLongitude.1hourbehindWesternStandardTime.
TimeZone:
GMT+7
TotalLandArea:
135
EEZ:
Climate:
Climateistropical,withwet(approximatelyNovembertoApril)anddry(approximatelyMaytoOctober)seasons.Meanannualrainfallis1,930mm.Thereislittletemperaturevariationfrommonthtomonth,withaveragedailymaximumhighestat
28CelsiusinAprilandaminimumaveragetemperatureof22CelsiusinAugust.
NaturalResources:
Phosphates
ECONOMY:
TotalGDP:
PerCapitaGDP:
%ofGDPperSector:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
%ofPopulationEmployedbySector
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
2006
14%
14%
71%
ExternalAid/Remittances:
ExternalAid/Remittances(1998-1999):Spendingbyfederalgovernment:$40million
Growth:
N/A
LabourForce:
2006
684
Unemployment
Year:
UnemploymentRate(%ofpop.)
Industry:
Phosphatemining,tourismTheAustralianBureauofStatisticsdoesnotcollectGDPinformationforChristmasIslandduetoitsminutesize.InMay2001180workedinphosphatemining.Thisresultedinsalesworth$50million.Themedian
weeklyincomeforthoseover15,accordingtothe1996census,wasamere$521.
NicheIndustry:
Scubadiving,sportfishing
Tourism:
ImportsandExports:
Tot.ValueofImports
0.00()
FromEu:
ImportPartners(EU:)
PartnersOutsideEU:
ImportPartners:
Tot.ValueofExports
()
ToEu:
ExportPartners:
PartnersOutsideEU::
ExportPartners:
MainImports:
MainExports:
TRANSPORTATION/ACCESS
External:
NumberofAirports:
NumberofMainPorts:
Internal:
Air
Road:
Sea:
OtherFormsofTransportation:
EconomicZones:
Theislandisaduty-freezone
EnergyPolicy:
Generatedbydieselplantsinlocalpowerstation,whichismanagedandmaintainedbyChristmasIsland.240V,50cycles.
Type
TotalEnergy
Year
Production(Mwh)
Thermic
(Mwh)
Geothermic
(Mwh)
Sector
Other
(Mwh)
TotalEnergy
Consumption(Mwh)
Domestic
(Mwh)
Commercial
(Mwh)
PublicService Industry
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
PublicLighting
(Mwh)
OfficialCurrency:
AustralianDollar
BankingandInsurance:
NumberofBanksandCreditUnions:
NumberofAgriculturalCreditUnions:
NumberofInsuranceCompanies:
ThereisonebranchoftheWestpacBankinTheSettlementfeaturingafullrangeofservices,includingcurrencyexchange.TheChristmasIslandPostOfficeatFlyingFishCoveoffersawiderangeofbankingservicesforAustralianbanks,as
wellasservicessuchascashadvancesfromcreditcards.Therearenoautomaticbankmachinesontheisland,butmajorcreditcardsarewidelyaccepted.
FinancialServices:
N/A
Communications/E-Commerce:
Havealocalradiostation,RadioVLU2,operatedbyvolunteersinEnglish,Malay,andChinese.Thereisnolocaltelevisionchannel,althoughanumberofmainlandAustraliantelevisionchannelsarereceivedontheisland.Thereisnonewspaper
producedlocally,althoughtheShireofChristmasIslandproducesanewsletter,“TheIslander,”every2weeks.Off-islandpapersandmagazinesareavailableforpurchase,butrenderedexpensiveduetothecostsofimportation.Maildelivery
off-islandisslow,asittravelstomainlandAustraliabyboatunlesssentbyairexpress,whichisexpensive.Avarietyofinternetservices,tailoredforresidentialandbusinessclients,areavailablefromtheChristmasIslandInternetAdministration,
whichisanot-for-profit,community-ownedcompany.In2001464islandersusedtheinternetathome,work,orelsewhere.Governmentpresenceonlineisweak.TelephonesarewithintheAustraliannetwork.
PublicOwnership:
Thegovernmentisheavilyinvolvedintheeconomy.InvestmentbyothersislimitedduetotheislandÂ’sisolationandsmallpopulation.
LandUse:
ChristmasIslandNationalParkcovers85sq.km,or63%,oftheislandÂ’stotalsurface.TheNationalParkwascreatedin1980(withextensionsin1986and1989),andismanagedbyParksAustralia.TheParkprotectsatleast35endemic
species.TheChristmasIslandRainforestRehabilitationProgram(CIRRP)isoperatedbyParksAustraliainanefforttorestoreoldminingareas.Approximately3,300ha,orone-quarteroftheislandÂ’stotalrainforest,hadbeenlostoverthe
previouscentury.Todate,anestimated170hahasbeenrehabilitated.FundingfortheCIRRPcomesfromaconservationlevypaidbytheminingcompanytotheAustraliangovernment.Theminingcompanyisresponsibleforrehabilitatingthe
landitisaffecting,sotheCIRRPfocusesonolderminefields.PriorityforrehabilitationisplacedonareaswithahighdensityoftheendangeredAbbottÂ’sbooby,whichbreedsontheisland.
Agriculture/Forestry:
ThereisminimalagriculturalactivityonChristmasIsland.
MarineActivity:
Fishing:
Maritimeclaims:12nauticalmiles.Exclusivefishingzone:200nauticalmiles.AustraliamaintainsjurisdictionoverthemarineareasurroundingChristmasIsland.
MarineLife:
CriticalIssues:
TheislandÂ’ssmallsizeandisolationhasledtotransportationproblems,suchasinfrequentflightsandhighcost.ChristmasIslandÂ’seconomyrequiresdiversification.Itiscurrentlyoverlyreliantonphosphatemining;however,itispredictedthat
thesupplywillbeexhaustedwithin20years.
JURISDICTIONALRESOURCES
Capital:
PoliticalSystem:
TheislandisgovernedinternallybytheunicameralChristmasIslandShireCouncil.IslandGovernment:ChristmasIslandShireCouncilconsistsof9seatselectedbypopularvoteto4yearterms,andisresponsiblefortheprovisionoflocal
governmentservices.CouncilisgovernedbytheWesternAustralianLocalGovernmentAct1995(CI)(CKI).Sincethereisnostate-levelgovernmentontheisland,theShireCouncilfulfillsthisrolebyrepresentingtheislandindiscussionswith
theCommonwealth.Councilmeetsevery4weeks.Meetingtimesarepublishedandthepublicisallowedtoattendquestiontime,althoughtheymaybeaskedtovacatetheroomwhenconfidentialmattersarehandled.President:nominationsfor
PresidentandDeputyPresidentoftheShireofChristmasIslandopenupontheannouncementofthoseelectedinthebiannualelections,closingattheendofthenextcouncilmeeting.Ifmorethanonenominationforeachpositionareput
forward,theChiefExecutiveOfficeroftheShireofChristmasIslandconductsasecretballotelection.Administrator:appointedbytheGovernorGeneralonadviceofthefederalCabinet,isresponsibleformaintaining“law,order,andgood
government”onChristmasIsland.TheAdministratorhandlestheterritoryonbehalfoftheCommonwealth,exercisespowersandfunctiononbehalfofinstructionsfromtheMinisterforRegionalServices,TerritoriesandLocalGovernment.The
AdministratoralsoworkscloselywiththeShireCouncilandtheUnionofChristmasIslandWorkers,whichistheunionthathasrepresentedminerssincethe1970s.JusticeSystem:UnderauthorityofAustralianlaw.Thereare3brancheson
ChristmasIsland,theMagistrateÂ’s,District,andSupremeCourt.CourtsystemishandledbyvisitingmagistratesfromtheAustralianmainland.
PoliticalParties:
PoliticalParties:Nopoliticalparties.Allcandidatesrunasindependents.Elections:staggered,beingheldevery2years(5/4)onthefirstSaturdayinMay.Allthoseovertheageof18areeligibletovoteiftheyareontheelectoralrollofthe
CommonwealthDivisionoftheNorthernTerritory,ownpropertyorabusinessontheisland,orbeapermanentresident.
ImportantLegislation:
ChristmasIslandAct1958TransferredsovereigntyovertheislandsfromBritaintoAustralia.Isthelegislativebasisoftheterritory.TerritoriesLawReformAct1992AmendedtheChristmasIslandAct1958,whichwasbasedlargelyonthelawsof
Singapore.ThisActintroducedmodernAustralianlawandextendedmanyofthesamerights,responsibilities,andobligationsenjoyedbymainlandAustralianstotheterritory.LocalGovernment(Transition)Ordinance1992CreatedtheChristmas
IslandShireCounciltoprovidelocalgovernmentservices.WesternAustralianLocalGovernmentAct1995(CI)(CKI)GovernstheoperationoftheShireofChristmasIsland,aswellasthedutiesofitsmembers.
PrincipalTaxes:
SubjecttoAustraliantaxsystem,exceptthereisnoGSTorsalestaxapplied.Also,“state”taxesareappliedbasedonthoseappliedinWesternAustralia.Australian[Commonwealth]IncomeTax:ResidentIndividualIncomeTax(2004/05)
TaxableIncome$0-6,000Nil$6,001-21,60017¢/dollarover$6,000$21,601-58,000$2,6652plus30¢/dollarover$21,600$58,001-70,000$13,572plus42¢/dollarover$58,000Over$70,000$18,612plus47¢/dollarover$70,000Above
taxesdonotincludemedicallevyof1.5%CompanyTaxRates(2003/04)Companiesgenerally30%Non-profitCompaniesTaxableIncome$0-416Nil$417-91555%$915-Over30%WesternAustraliaStateTaxes:LandTax(2004/05)
Unimprovedvalueofland$0-100,000Nil$100,000-220,000$150.00plus0.15¢/dollarover$100,000$220,000-570,000$330.00plus0.45¢/dollarover$220,000$570,000-$2,000,000$1,905.00plus1.76¢/dollarover$570,000$2,000,0005,000,000$27,073.00plus2.30¢/dollarover$2,000,000$5,000,000-Over$96,073.00plus2.50¢/dollarover$5,000,000Pay-rollTax(2005)5.5%[Assessedonwagespaidbyemployer,unlesstotalwagespaidperannumisbelow$750,000]
TherearealsoavarietyofStampDutieschargedontransfersandsales.
AssociatedPower:
Australia
Citizenship:
AustralianUnlikemostCommonwealthTerritories,whichundertheActsInterpretationAct1901areexemptfromfederalParliamentlegislationunlessexplicitlystatedinthelegislation,allAustralianfederallegislationisapplicabletoChristmas
Island.AustralianCustomsServiceisresponsibleforcustomsontheisland.TravellersfromtheAustralianmainlanddonotrequirevisasorpassportswhenvisitingtheisland.
Paradiplomacy:
ChristmasIslandhasnointernationalstatusseparatefromAustralia.Assuch,AustraliaisresponsibleforhandlinginternationaltreatiesontheislandÂ’sbehalf.
HUMANRESOURCES
Population(byyear):1,508(2001)1,906(1996)2,500(1994est.)Population(byage):<15:46315-65:950>65:53(2001)(Itshouldbenotedthatthistotalreaches1,466;thisdeviatesslightlyfromthetotalpopulationfigureof1,508provided
thatyear.)
Island
Area(kmsq.)
Population
%ofTotalPopulation
ChristmasIsland
135
1,351
100%
Population(byyear):1,508(2001)1,906(1996)2,500(1994est.)Population(byage):<15:46315-65:950>65:53(2001)(Itshouldbenotedthatthistotalreaches1,466;thisdeviatesslightlyfromthetotalpopulationfigureof1,508provided
thatyear.)
Population:
Year
ResidentPopulation
AgeofPopulation:
0-14
15-24
25-49
50-64
65andup
2006
310
126
539
305
71
Migration:
N/A
CrudeBirthRate:
LifeExpedctancy:
CrudeDeathRate:
Ethnicity:
Chinese(60%),European(10-15%),Malay(25-30%)(2001est.)
ClassDivision:
Languages:
English(official).Approximately80%oftheislandÂ’sinhabitantsspeakMalayoroneoffourChinesedialectsastheirfirstlanguage.AsEnglishisnotnecessaryfortheworkplace,manyarenotfluentinthelanguage.
Religion:
Buddhist(34%),Muslim(21%),Christian(23%),NoReligion(11%),NotStated/InadequatelyDescribed(11%)
Literacy:
EducationSystem:
ChristmasIslandHighSchoolprovideskindergartentograde12.TeachersarerecruitedfromtheEducationDepartmentofWesternAustralia,andtheschoolfollowstheWesternAustraliastatecurriculum.Standardsofachievementare
comparabletothoseinWesternAustraliaschools.ThelanguageofinstructionisEnglish.Theschoolfeaturesmodernfacilities,withcomputersinallclassrooms,internetandemailaccess,artandmusicrooms,aswellasmedicalanddental
centres.In2002therewereapproximately420students.AnEarlyChildhoodProgramwasinitiatedbytheChristmasIslandWomenÂ’sAssociationin1991.After3yearstheEducationDepartmenttookcontroloftheprogram.Theaimofthe
CentreistoprepareEnglishskillsinchildrenpriortoenteringtheschoolsystem.ThereareavarietyofothereducationalroutesoperatingonChristmasIsland.TheIndianOceanGroupTrainingisacommunity-basedassociationthatprovides
vocationaltrainingandcomprehensiveemploymentservicesforjobseekersandemployers.TheChristmasIslandPlayGroup,opendailyfrom9:00-11:00AM,involveschildrenaged3andunder.Itismanagedbyvolunteers.TheChristmas
IslandLanguageCentremeetseverySaturdaymorning.Approximately200students,fromyears1-10aretaughtMandarinandMalay.CorefundingisprovidedbytheEducationDepartmentofWesternAustralia.TheChristmasIslandIslamic
SchoolmeetsbehindtheKampongMosqueinFlyingFishCove.ItprovidesdailyreligiouseducationforIslamicyouth.Therearealso2musicschoolsoperatingontheisland.
TotalPre-schools:()
TotalPrimarySchools
FirstLevel:
SecondLevel:
ThirdLevel:
TotalSecondarySchools:
TotalProfessionalSchools
Universities:
NumberofSchoolsperIsland:
Pre-school
Elementary
Pub
Priv
1
2
3
High-school
Pub
Priv
Prof.
University
Pub
Priv
StudentsEnrolled:
Year:
Pre-School
Elementary
High-school
Prof.
University
Prof.
University
Teachers
Year
Pre-School
Elementary
1
2
3
High-School
MedicalServices:
AwiderangeofhealthservicesareprovidedundertheIndianOceanTerritoriesHealthService,whichoperatesan8-bedhospital,withservicessuchasx-rays,anaesthetics,dentistry,andmidwiferyservices.Specializedcasesandbirthsare
handledinPerth.TheChristmasIslandhospitalisregularlyvisitedbyspecialistdoctorsfromthemainland.Thehospitalispubliclyfunded,soserviceisfreetoAustraliancitizensandpermanentresidentsofChristmasIsland;however,residents
arestronglyencouragedtoholdinsurancethatcoversmedicalevacuationtothemainland.Astandardmedicalevacuationcancost$15,000(Australian),whileanemergencyevacuationtoPerthcancostanywherefrom$28,000-$54,000.
Besidesthehighcostofmedicalevacuations,thelackofflightstoChristmasIslandcanbeproblematicinsofarthatmanytestsandassessmentshandledontheislandaresenttoPerthforanalysis.Forexample,anx-rayconductedontheisland
cantakeupto10daystobeflowntoPerthforassessment.Thiscanleadtoanunfortunatedelayinmedicaldiagnosis.ChristmasIslandalsohasalicensedchemist(pharmacist).Theislandisdevoidofcommontropicaldiseases,suchas
malariaanddenguefever,andvaccinationsarenottypicallyrequiredforthosetravellingtotheisland.
HISTORYANDCULTURE
History:
ChristmasIslandreceiveditsnameasaresultofitsfirstrecordedsighting,byCaptainWilliamMynorson25December1643.ThefirstrecordedlandingonChristmasIslandoccurredin1688whenCaptainWilliamDampierofGreatBritain
landedwith2crewmen.Aftertheislandwassurveyedinthe1870stheBritishannexedon6June1888.ThefirstsettlementoccurredinNovember1888withthecentralpurposeofcollectingfoodandtimbersuppliesforCocos(Keeling)Islands.
Developmenthasbeencloselyinterlinkedwithphosphatemining.TheBritishgovernmentgrantedjointrightsfor99yearstoGeorgeClunies-RossandJohnMurray,inexchangeforroyalties,in1891.in1897theChristmasIslandPhosphate
Companyformed,staffedbyimportedlabour(200Chineselabourers,8managersfromEurope,and5Sikhpolicemen)becausetherewasnoindigenouspopulation.Thefirstmajorshipmentofphosphateleftin1900.FollowingtheSecondWorld
War,duringwhichtimetheislandwasoccupiedbyJapan,ChristmasIslandcameundercontrolofthenewlycreatedBritishcolonyofSingapore.In1957Australiaacquiredtheislandinexchangefor₤2.9millionincompensation.Beginninginthe
1980stheCommonwealthhasundertakenaprocessofnormalisationwithitsterritories.Thismeantthatthefederalgovernmentcommitteditselftoprovidingaccesstothesameservicesandconditionsasthoselivingincomparablecommunities
onthemainland.In1984thebenefitsofAustraliancitizenshipwereextendedtotheislandersintheformofsocialservicebenefitsandtheabilitytovoteinCommonwealthelections.Taxationwasalsointroduced.Afurtherstepwastakenin1991
whentheCommonwealthandChristmasIslandAssemblyendorsedthe“ProposedPackageofChangesExtendingtotheResidentsofChristmasIslandRights,OpportunitiesandObligationsEquivalenttoThoseoftheirFellowAustraliansin
ComparableCommunities.”ThiswasfollowedbytheTerritoriesLawReformAct1992,whichreplacedtheSingapore-eralawwithmodernAustralianlaw.Itfurtherextendedmanyoftherights,responsibilities,andobligationsenjoyedby
mainlandAustralianstothepopulationofChristmasIsland.
Referenda:
N/A
RecentSignificantEvents:
EconomicDevelopment:Theislandhaslongsufferedfromhighunemployment.Furthermore,ithastraditionallybeendependentuponlarge-scaleprojectsforitseconomy.Inthemid-1990stherewasacasino/resortthatemployedapproximately
350workers.Thecasino/resortwasacornerstoneinthelocaleconomy.Attractingwealthy‘highrollers’fromIndonesiaasitscoreclientele,itresultedinanincreasedfrequencyofflightsintotheisland.Italsohadsubstantialspin-offsonthe
localeconomy.Thiscasino/resortwentintoreceivershipin1998,andhasnotyetbeenreopened.Atthetimeofitsclosing,ithad156guestroomsandsuites[in2000,therewereonly140bedsavailableontheislandinalltheothertourist
lodgings],abarand2restaurants,2nightclubs,andaswimmingpool,amongotherattractions.TheislandÂ’spopulationhastumbledrapidlysincethecasino/resortÂ’sclosure.PhosphateminingremainsakeyaspectoftheChristmasIsland
economy.Thegovernmentin1987,citingdroughtsandanearlyexhaustedsupplyofhigh-gradephosphates,closedthemines.Theworkersreopenedtheminein1991.RecentdatafromPhosphateResourcesLimitedrevealsthatthecurrent
supplywillbeexhaustedby2006.Thereisbeliefthattherearesufficientphosphateslocatedelsewhereontheislandtocontinueminingforanother20years.Itishopedthatthecreationofasatellitelaunchingfacility,announcedinJune2001by
theAsiaPacificSpaceCentre,willleadtomajorimprovementsintheislandeconomy.Thisspaceport,estimatedtocost$800millioninconstruction,isexpectedtocreateupwardsof550jobs,andlaunchatleast10vehiclesperyear,whenfully
functional.Thespaceportwasoriginallyexpectedtocommencein2002andbecompletedby2004;however,thedeveloperisstillseekinginvestors.TheCommonwealth,whichhasannouncedupto$100millioninaid,continuestomaintainits
supportfortheproject.Thiswillbethefirstfullycommercialspacelaunchfacilityintheworld.ConstructionhasstartedforthefederallyfundedImmigrationReceptionandProcessingCentre.Thisfacilitywillhaveacapacityforupto1,200asylum
seekersandillegalimmigrants,andisexpectedtoopeninlate2006.ThisisanimportantsitebecauseAustraliamaintainsapolicyofmandatory,non-reviewabledetentionforasylumseekersandrefugees.Tourismissmall-scale,with
approximately1,000touristsannually.Thisisviewedasapotentialgrowtharea.
Music,Dance,HandicraftandPatrimony:
Sources:
2006CensusTables:ChristmasIslandhttp://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?
breadcrumb=LPTD&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&subaction=-1&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&documentproductno=IARE99001&textversion=false&documenttype=Details&collection=Census&javascript=true&topic=Ag
31stMarch2008
CIAWorldFactbookhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/31stMarch2008
UsefulLinks:
IslandStudies.ca
www.upei.ca
www.google.ca Pleaseaddressqueriesto:
InstituteofIslandStudies
UniversityofPrinceEdwardIsland(UPEI)
550UniversityAve
Charlottetown,PE,Canada,C1A4P3
Copyright2007.InstituteofIslandStudies,UPEI.Educational
and
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