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Home ----
Asia
( C
) ----
Christmas Island(territory of
Australia) |
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National Map
Of |
Christmas Island |
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National Flag
Of |
Christmas Island |
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Flag Description:
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the
Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an
island flag, however, the winning design has never been
formally adopted as the official flag of the territory
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Christmas Island |
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National Anthem
Of |
Christmas Island |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Christmas Island |
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Background:
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Named in
1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was
annexed and settlement was begun 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. |
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of
Indonesia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 30 S,
105 40 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about
three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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138.9 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical
with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated
by trade winds; wet season December to April |
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Terrain:
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steep
cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
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Natural resources:
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phosphate, beaches |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the
island is a national park (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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the
narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a
maritime hazard |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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located
along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
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Population:
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361 (July
2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
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Population growth rate:
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0% (2005
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese
70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
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Religions:
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Buddhist
36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
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Languages:
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English
(official), Chinese, Malay |
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Literacy:
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NA |
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People - note:
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the
Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of
1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
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Dependency status:
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territory
of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
of Transport and Regional Services |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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The
Settlement |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Independence:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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National holiday:
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Australia
Day, 26 January (1788) |
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Constitution:
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Christmas
Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
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Legal system:
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under the
authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS
(since 1 November 2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
administrator appointed by the governor general of
Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: held every two years with half the
members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003
(next to be held in 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats -
independents 9 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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none |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(territory of Australia) |
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Flag description:
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the flag
of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the
Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for
an island flag, however, the winning design has never
been formally adopted as the official flag of the
territory |
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Economy - overview:
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Phosphate
mining had been the only significant economic activity,
but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed
the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the
support of the government, a $34 million casino opened
in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian
Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
commercial space-launching site on the island, projected
to begin operations in the near future |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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NA |
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Budget:
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revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures
of NA |
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Agriculture - products:
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NA |
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Industries:
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tourism,
phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA |
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Exports:
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NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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phosphate
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Exports - partners:
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Australia, NZ |
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Imports:
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NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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consumer
goods |
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Imports - partners:
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principally Australia |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency (code):
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Australian dollar (AUD) |
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Currency code:
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AUD |
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Exchange rates:
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Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
(2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July -
30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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NA |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced
older analog system in February 2005
international: country code - 61-891; satellite
earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides
telephone and telex service (2000) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Radios:
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1,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA |
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Televisions:
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600
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.cx |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000)
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Highways:
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total:
240 km
paved: 30 km
unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Flying
Fish Cove |
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Airports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of Australia |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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