age, and sexual slavery; most North Koreans enter
northeastern China voluntarily, but others reportedly are trafficked
into China from North Korea; domestic trafficking remains the most
significant problem in China, with an estimated minimum of
10,000-20,000 victims trafficked each year; the actual number of
victims could be much greater; some experts believe that the serious
and prolonged imbalance in the male-female birth ratio may now be
contributing to Chinese and foreign girls and women being trafficked
as potential brides
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China failed to show evidence of
increasing efforts to address transnational trafficking; while the
government provides reasonable protection to internal victims of
trafficking, protection for Chinese and foreign victims of
transnational trafficking remain inadequate

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

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.

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

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 th