The Territory of
Christmas Island is an Australian external territory comprising the island of
the same name. Christmas Island is located in the Indian Ocean, around 350
kilometres (220 mi) south of Java and Sumatra and around 1,550 kilometres (960
mi) north-west of the closest point on the Australian mainland. It has an area
of 135 square kilometres (52 sq mi). Christmas Island had a population of 1,843
residents as of 2016, the majority of whom live in settlements on the northern
tip of the island. Several languages are in use, including English, Malay, and
various Chinese dialects. Islam and Buddhism are major religions on the island,
though a vast majority of the population does not declare a formal religious
affiliation and may be involved in ethnic Chinese religion. The first European
to sight the island was Richard Rowe of the Thomas in 1615. The island was
later named on Christmas Day (25 December) 1643 by Captain William Mynors, but
only settled in the late 19th century. Its geographic isolation and history of
minimal human disturbance has led to a high level of endemism among its flora
and fauna, which is of interest to scientists and naturalists. The majority (63
percent) of the island is included in the Christmas Island National Park, which
features several areas of primary monsoonal forest. Phosphate, deposited
originally as guano, has been mined on the island since 1899.
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