Australia. Guide to Australia

Christmas Island(Christmas Island) - A small island in the Indian Ocean, Australian-owned, area of ​​the island - 135 kV. km. The island is located in the 2360 kilometers north-west of Perth and about 500 km south of Jakarta. The island's capital, r. Settlement.

The island of volcanic origin. The highest point - 361 m above sea level. The climate is tropical island. The annual average temperature - about 27 °C. The amount of rainfall is large enough - about 2000 mm per year.

The population of the island - 1400 человек, Australian citizens 396 человек .person the Chinese, 20 % - White and about 10 % - Malays. In religiously dominated Buddhists (около 35 % - Mostly Chinese), Muslims - about 25 % (Malays and some Chinese), около 20 % - Christians (almost all Europeans and some Chinese). Common among Chinese and Taoism (около 15 %).about

The only sector of the economy of the island - phosphate mining. Conducted export phosphate to Australia and New Zealand. 

 

The name must be opened in the island on Christmas Day 1643 year. British explorer William Dampier was the first European, landed on the island in 1688 , and described it. With 1888 year began the colonization of the island of Great Britain. In 1900 G. the island became part of the British colony of Singapore, and in 1958 - Transferred to Australia. Administration of the island is the official representative of the Australian Government.