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