Christmas Island

633 The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean.

Christmas Island was a target for Japanese occupation because of its rich phosphate deposits. A naval gun was installed under a British officer and four NCOs supported by Indian soldiers.

Christmas Island was the site of the Tampa controversy, in which the Australian government stopped a Norwegian ship, MV Tampa, from disembarking 438 rescued asylum seekers at Christmas Island.

Christmas Island boat crash response courageous, effective = * By Adam Gartrell * From: AAP * June 29, 2011 1:18PM * Increase Text Size

THE response to last year's Christmas Island boat tragedy was professional, courageous and as effective as it could have been in such terrible conditions, a parliamentary committee has concluded.

Christmas Island is one of natures most impressive feats, an island full of natural wonders: from the unique annual red crab migration to rare and unusual birds and glorious deserted beaches where the only footprints in the sand are those made by nesting turtles.

Follow Christmas Island Tourism on Facebook Bird Watching, Indian Ocean, Galapagos Bird Watching - Christmas Island is one of the world’s truly spectacular tropical seabird breeding stations.

the tragedy on the coast of Christmas Island, which saw the loss of 50 lives has only come up with three recommendations," she said. "I am extremely disappointed that the committee wasn't able to do more thorough work.

A joint parliamentary committee into the Christmas Island tragedy has recommended ongoing counselling for survivors and residents and a permanent memorial but found no fault with the response of agencies including the Navy and Customs.

Christmas Island National Park is a national park occupying most of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean southwest of Indonesia.

Christmas Island is the only nesting place for the endangered Abbott's Booby and critically endangered Christmas Island Frigatebird, and the wide range of other endemic species makes the island of significant interest to the scientific community.

Christmas Island consists of an uplifted limestone cap metamorphosed from coral reefs overlying more ancient volcanic andesite bedrock.

Causes of Christmas Island disaster nowhere in parliamentary inquiry finding = * Debbie Guest * From: The Australian * June 30, 2011 12:00AM * Increase Text

Christmas Island community to "explore options for a permanent memorial" on the island for the victims. "It is the committee's view that the response to the horrific tragedy was professional, courageous and as effective as it could possibly be under the prevailing weather conditions.

Christmas Island incident is just the latest tragedy impacting those seeking asylum in Australia. (Video The Australian) Fox News explains why so many refugees are still willing to make the perilous journey.

Christmas Island red crab migration 2009 Christmas Island red crab migration 2009 * Order: Reorder * Duration: 4:46 * Published: 16 Dec 2009 * Uploaded: 13 Feb 2011

Christmas Island riots and Assange confronts Gillard on TV.

There are now 830 men inside the Christmas Island immigration detention centre, which was built with a capacity of 400 and contingency for another 400.

was president of the Christmas Island chamber of commerce when the detention centre was being planned. "It is good riddance to high numbers," Mr Richardson said. Christmas Island also holds more than 300 men, women and children slated for deportation.

Christmas Island administrator Bran Lacy said yesterday there was tension between the Immigration Department and the community after the escapes and riots in March, but immigration made a significant contribution to the local economy, he said.

Australia-Oceania :: Christmas Island (territory of Australia) Print PagePRINT page last updated on May 25, 2011 Flag of Christmas Island (CONTAINS DESCRIPTION) Location of Christmas Island Click flag or map to enlarge

Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 Legal system: Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

The Territory of Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 1645 miles (2650 km) northwest of Perth in Western Australia, 225 miles (360 km) south of Jakarta, Indonesia and 840 miles (1350 km) South of Singapore.

Christmas Island has a unique natural topography and is of immense interest to scientists and ecologists due to the number of species of endemic flora and fauna which have evolved in isolation, undisturbed by human habitation.

Christmas Island is shaped like a quadrilateral with hollowed sides, about 12 miles (19 km) in greatest length and 9 miles (14.5 km ) in extreme breadth. The total land area is 52 square miles (135 km²), with 86.3 miles (138.9 km) of coastline.

Christmas Island, however, being this far-flung, uninfluenced by other ecosystems, has been a boon. Uninhabited until the late 1800s, Christmas Island is a naturalist's delight, with many wonders of evolution comparable to what Darwin famously found in the Galápagos Islands (p. 100).

Christmas Island was named in 1643 when Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company landed here on December 25.

were discovered here, that Christmas Island was annexed by the British Crown and exploited for its mineral wealth (phosphate is used in fertilizers).

The Territory of Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 2600 kilometres (1600 mi) northwest of Perth in Western Australia, 500 kilometres (300 mi) south of Jakarta, Indonesia, and 975 km ENE of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

For centuries, Christmas Island's isolation and rugged coasts provided natural barriers to settlement.

Christmas Island received a large number of asylum seekers travelling by boat, most of them from the Middle East and intending to apply for asylum in Australia.

A parliamentary report into last year's Christmas Island incident has outlined major shortfalls in communications and surveillance and called for better radio networks and emergency service infrastructure on the remote island.

Christmas Island tragedy recommends ongoing counselling for survivors and Commonwealth personnel involved in the rescue. It also recommends a permanent memorial in honour of almost 50 people who are thought to have drowned when their boat sank.

Man charged over Christmas Island tragedy which killed 48 = * From: AAP * May 12, 2011 12:06PM * Increase Text Size * Decrease Text Size

of charges over the ill-fated voyage to Christmas Island which killed up to 50 people. Source: PerthNow THE MAN accused of organising four boats of asylum seekers, including last year's fatal Christmas Island voyage, has faced court after his extradition to Sydney from Indonesia this morning.

on Christmas Island on the 15th of December last year,'' Mr O'Connor said. Meanwhile, three crew of the ill-fated boat have appeared in a Perth court charged with people smuggling.

Guards at Christmas Island allegedly knew about the SIEV 221 four hours before the boat crashed into rocks. Christmas Island Scene of the asylum seeker boat crash at Christmas Island in December last year.

CHRISTMAS Island detention centre guards were told the SIEV 221 was on its way four hours before the boat crashed into rocks, killing 50 people, according to a detainee who says he begged guards to tell authorities.

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seekers to come down from the roof at the Christmas Island detention centre. Comment? Related Topix: Southeast Asia, World News Thu Jun 09, 2011 NEWS.com.

Christmas Island for a more detailed map At first there were suggestions from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Government (now the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu) that the island should be evacuated, but this was said to be

at Christmas Island took place on 15th May 1957 In November of 1957 there were two further H-Bomb explosion and between April and September of 1958 a further series.

accepted that they should be staged at Christmas Island, which now was given yet another code name - 'DOMINIC'.

* Elephants, wildebeest, and yes, even Christmas Island's red crabs are among the animals who make big moves in National Geographic's 'Great Migrations.' * TWO STARS: 'Christmas from the Heart,' by David Archuleta (19/Jive Records) * Bob Dylan and David Archuleta have released Christmas albums that are both worthy of two stars.

The response to last year's Christmas Island boat tragedy was professional, courageous and as effective as it could have been in such terrible... Response to boat tragedy courageous: MPs Posted on 6/29/2011 12:52:45 AM Advertisement .

last year's Christmas Island boat tragedy was professional, courageous and as effective as it could have been in...

Meanwhile, another group of detainees at Christmas Island, which is now holding about 1,144 irregular maritime arrivals, was refusing to eat, the immigration department spokesman said. "A very small number of detainees have told the department they are engaged in voluntary starvation," he said.

Christmas Island has been the site of serious unrest among asylum seekers, with police forced to use pepper spray and "bean bag" bullets earlier this month to quell up to 100 rioters, some armed with metal poles and broken concrete.

That violence at the purpose-built Christmas Island facility, on a small Indian Ocean outcrop some 2,650 kilometres (1,650 miles) northwest of Perth, saw about 250 inmates set fire to accommodation tents and hurl makeshift explosives at police, prompting them to respond with tear gas.

the rescue response to last year's tragedy on Christmas Island was "courageous" and as good as could be expected. The committee's recommended a memorial ...

asylum seekers from Christmas Island to facilities he has inspected in Malaysia, he should ...

smashed into Christmas Island cliffs killing up to 50 people, has ... The West Australian Business - 2:25 p.m.

Christmas Island is one of the islands of the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia and some distance northwest of Australia, of which is it a territory.

spoken on Christmas Island, but is not universal. Many senior residents speak dialects of Chinese and Malay as a first language. All signs are in English.

* Christmas Island Visitor Information Centre - Gift Shop Run by the Christmas Island Tourism Association located at the Visitor Information Centre, Gaze Road, Settlement.