The 1999 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and

       Australia

      Legislative branch: unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9

       seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)

       elections: last held NA December 1998 (next to be held NA December

       1999)

       election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—independents 9

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court

      Political parties and leaders: none

      International organization participation: none

      Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

      Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of

       Australia)

      Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

      Economy

      Economy—overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1990, the mine was reopened by private operators. Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $45 million casino on Christmas Island.

      GDP: purchasing power parity—$NA

      GDP—real growth rate: NA%

      GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$NA

      GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

      Population below poverty line: NA%

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

       lowest 10%: NA%

       highest 10%: NA%

      Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

      Labor force: NA

      Labor force—by occupation: tourism 400 people, mining 100 people

      Unemployment rate: NA%

      Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

      Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

      Industrial production growth rate: NA%

      Electricity—production: NA kWh

      Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

      Electricity—consumption: NA kWh

      Electricity—exports: NA kWh

      Electricity—imports: NA kWh

      Agriculture—products: NA

      Exports: $NA

      Exports—commodities: phosphate

      Exports—partners: Australia, NZ

      Imports: $NA

      Imports—commodities: consumer goods

      Imports—partners: principally Australia

      Debt—external: $NA

      Economic aid—recipient: $NA

      Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

      Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)

      Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June

      Communications

      Telephones: NA

      Telephone system:

       domestic: NA

       international: NA

       note: external telephone and telex services are provided by Intelsat

       satellite

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

      Radios: 500 (1992)

      Television broadcast stations: NA (1997)

      Televisions: 350 (1992)

      Transportation

      Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines

      Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

      Ports and harbors: Flying Fish Cove

      Merchant marine: none

      Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

      Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

      Military

      Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

      Transnational Issues

      Disputes—international: none

      ======================================================================

      @Clipperton Island————————

      Geography

      Location: Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico

      Geographic coordinates: 10 17 N, 109 13 W

      Map references: World

      Area:

       total: 7 sq km

       land: 7 sq km

       water: 0 sq km

      Area—comparative: about 12 times the size of The Mall in

       Washington, DC

      Land boundaries: 0 km

      Coastline: 11.1 km

      Maritime claims:

       territorial sea: 12 nm

      Climate: tropical, humid, average temperature 20–32 degrees C,

       rains May-October

      Terrain: coral atoll

      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

      Natural resources: none

      Land use:

       arable land: 0%

       permanent crops: 0%

       permanent pastures: 0%

       forests and woodland: 0%

       other: 100% (all coral)

      Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

      Natural hazards: subject to tornadoes

      Environment—current issues: NA

      Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

      Geography—note: reef about 8 km in circumference

      People

      Population: uninhabited

      Government

      Country name:

       conventional long form: none

       conventional short form: Clipperton Island

       local long form: none

       local short form: Ile Clipperton

       former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

      Data code: IP

      Dependency status: possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

      Legal system: NA

      Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of

       France)

      Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory