| Info about Christmas Island |
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Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began 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.
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| Languages |
| English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Ethnic division |
| Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence rate |
| NA |
| Climate info |
| tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
| Natural Resources |
| phosphate, beaches |
| Economic data |
| Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. |
| Environmental issues |
| loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining |
