dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January
2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997),
1.2773 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Christmas Island Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth
station provides telephone and telex service

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 600 (1997)

Internet country code: .cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Christmas Island Transportation

Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines

Highways: total: 140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by
private industry)

paved: 30 km

unpaved: 110 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Flying Fish Cove

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Christmas Island Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Christmas Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Clipperton Island

Clipperton Island Introduction

Background: This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a
pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by
France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration
eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in
1935.

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: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

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: fish

Land use: arab