Christmas Island

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Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean. It covers about 135 square kilometers and lies about 350 kilometers south of Java and 1,550 kilometers northwest of mainland Australia. The main settlement is Flying Fish Cove on the northern coast; other communities include Poon Saan, Drumsite, and Silver City. The island has a tropical rainforest climate and steep coastal cliffs surrounding most of the land.

Name and history in brief
The island was named on Christmas Day in 1643 by William Mynors when it was first seen by Europeans. Earlier visitors had arrived in 1615. Phosphate deposits led Britain to annex the island in 1888 and mining began in 1899. Japan occupied the island during World War II. After the war, administration passed to Singapore, and in 1958 Australia took over, where it remains today.

Population and culture
As of 2021, about 1,700 people live on the island. The community is diverse, with Chinese, Malay, English, and other backgrounds. English is the common language, with Malay and Mandarin also spoken. The population lives mainly in three areas: The Settlement (Anglo-Celtic influence, many Christians), Poon Saan (largely Chinese), and the Malay water village (Muslim).

Government
Christmas Island is a non-self-governing external territory of Australia. It is part of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories and is managed by an administrator on the island. Local government is the Shire of Christmas Island, which has nine council seats. Residents vote in Australian federal elections as part of the Division of Lingiari. Defence is provided by Australia.

Environment and nature
About 63% of the island is the Christmas Island National Park, protecting tropical rainforest and many rare species. The island is famous for its underwater reefs and its unique plants and animals. Every year, millions of red crabs migrate to the sea to spawn. The island also hosts many seabirds, including the Abbott’s booby and red-footed booby. The flying fox, a large fruit bat found only on Christmas Island, is critically endangered.

Economy and tourism
Phosphate mining has been the main industry in the past. The mine closed in 1987, reopened briefly in the 1990s, and today tourism is growing, driven by the red crab migration and birdwatching. The island has a port at Flying Fish Cove and an airport with a runway around 2,100 meters long. In 2022, a submarine fiber cable connected Christmas Island to Australia to improve internet and phone services.

Migration and detention centre
From the late 1980s, boats carrying asylum seekers began arriving. The 2001 Tampa affair brought wide attention, and a detention centre was opened on the island. The centre expanded in the following years and became the main processing site for asylum seekers. It closed in 2018 and briefly reopened in 2019 for some sick asylum seekers. The topic remains politically sensitive in Australia.