Although Europeans sighted the island as early as 1615, it was only named in 1643 by English Captain William MYNORS for the day of its rediscovery. Another English ship sailed by the island in 1688 and found it uninhabited. Attempts to explore the island over the next two centuries were hampered by steep cliffs and dense jungle. Phosphate discovery on the island in 1887, lead to the UK annexing it the following year. In 1898, the Christmas Island Phosphate Company brought in 200 Chinese indentured servants to work the mines, along with Malays, Sikhs, and a small number of Europeans. The UK administered Christmas Island from Singapore.
Japan invaded the island in 1942, but islanders sabotaged Japanese mining operations, making the mines relatively unproductive. After World War II, Australia and New Zealand bought the Christmas Island Phosphate Company, and in 1958, the UK transferred sovereignty from Singapore to Australia in exchange for $20 million for the loss of future phosphate income. In 1980, Australia set up the Christmas Island National Park and expanded its boundaries throughout the 1980s until it covered more than 60% of the island’s territory. The phosphate mine was closed in 1987 because of environmental concerns and Australia has rejected several efforts to reopen it.
In the 1980s, boats of asylum seekers started landing on Christmas Island and the migrants claimed refugee status since they were on Australian territory. In 2001, Australia declared Christmas Island outside the Australian migration zone and built an immigration detention center on the island. Completed in 2008, the controversial detention center was officially closed in 2018, but then reopened in early 2019. In 2020, the center served as a coronavirus quarantine facility for Australian citizens evacuated from China.
note: as a territory of Australia, \"Advance Australia Fair\" remains official as the national anthem, while \"God Save the King\" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "high-income Australian territorial economy; development through government services and phosphate mining; operates Australia’s Immigration Detention Centre; increasing tourism and government investments; sustained environmental protections" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "NA
" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "NA" }, "Industries": { "text": "tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "NA" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "NA" }, "expenditures": { "text": "NA" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "1 July - 30 June" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Malaysia 36%, New Zealand 21%, Indonesia 20%, Australia 10% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "calcium phosphates, fertilizers, barometers, electrical transformers, sulfates (2021)" }, "Imports": { "text": "NA
" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Australia 80%, United States 7%, Canada 5% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, cars, iron structures, aircraft, crustaceans (2019)" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "1.311 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "1.3442 (2016 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2015": { "text": "1.3442 (2015)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "1.3291 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "1.1094 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "internet access on Christmas Island is provided by satellite; improvements through the Regional Connectivity Program to the macro and small cell mobile sites will provide new and improved mobile, voice and data connectivity for residents and visitors; the upgrade will also support local businesses and community facilities, enabling increased residential access to essential services such as telehealth and education (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "improvements to Christmas Island include an upgrade to the macro cell base stations and deploy a new macro cell base station at the airport (2022)" }, "international": { "text": "international code - 61 8; ASC submarine cable to Singapore and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "1 community radio station; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations (2017)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".cx" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "1,139 (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "78.6% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Airports": { "text": "1 (2021)" }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "text": "1", "note": "note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "18 km (2017)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "18 km (2017) 1.435-m (not in operation)" }, "note": "note: the 18-km Christmas Island Phosphate Company Railway between Flying Fish Cove and South Point was decommissioned in 1987; some tracks and scrap remain in place" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "142 km (2011)" }, "paved": { "text": "32 km (2011)" }, "unpaved": { "text": "110 km (2011)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Flying Fish Cove" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of Australia" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "none
" } } }