Christmas Island Geography Profile 2009

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