What Is Christmas Island

The main settlement is at flying fish cove.

What is christmas island. We invite you to uncover the remarkable surprises of this island full of natural wonders. The christmas island red crab gecarcoidea natalis is a species of land crab that is endemic to christmas island and cocos keeling islands in the indian ocean. Christmas island in the indian ocean just south of java is an australian territory. From the unique annual red crab migration to rare and unusual birds and glorious deserted beaches.

The territory of christmas island is an australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. This tiny dog shaped island was named on christmas day 1643 by an english sea captain. Find what to do today this weekend or in november. This species of red crab usually has a late fall migration into the sea which is an attractive event to watch.

It is the summit of an oceanic mountain whose highest point on the island is murray hill rising to 1 184 feet 361 meters in the western part of the island. Its 80km coastline is an almost continuous sea cliff up to 20 metres high with a few shallow bays of small sand and coral shingle beaches. It has an area of 135 square kilometres 52 sq mi. 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.

See tripadvisor s 313 traveler reviews and photos of christmas island tourist attractions. Christmas island is one of the islands of the indian ocean south of indonesia and some distance northwest of australia of which it is a territory. Christmas island its name alone is intriguing and stirs interest. Christmas island is an external territory of australia which is located on the indian ocean.

Although restricted to a relatively small area an estimated 43 7 million adult red crabs once lived on christmas island alone but the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10 15 million. Visit top rated must see attractions. Christmas island rises to a central plateau of stands of rainforest. Christmas island also known as australia s galapagos is a remote island territory in the indian ocean boasting several endemic species of birdlife host to the annual red crab migration an event that does not occur anywhere else in the world it s an eco paradise just waiting to be explored.

Ringed by tropical reef christmas island erupts dramatically from the edge of the java trench the indian ocean s deepest point and with practically no coastal shelf this means the water plummets to a depth of about 500 metres not far offshore which means you don t have to sail or swim very far to find some. Christmas island island in the indian ocean administered as an external territory of australia. Today it s a lush off. It is a natural wonder that is popular for being home to the red crab.