Christmas Island - Overview

Location:

Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Climate:

tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Population:

1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.)

Capital:

name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Background:

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.