Christmas Island:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Christmas Island:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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.

Location	Definition Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates	Definition 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Map references	Definition Southeast Asia
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries	Definition 0 km
Coastline	Definition 138.9 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate	Definition tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Terrain	Definition steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Natural resources	Definition phosphate, beaches
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition NA
Natural hazards	Definition the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues	Definition loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining
Geography - note	Definition located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Christmas Island: Geography

Christmas Island:
Geography