Why Christmas Island Was Sold To Australia
About 1 600 people live on christmas island mostly in a number of settlement areas on the north of the island.
Why christmas island was sold to australia. Christmas island in the indian ocean just south of java is an australian territory. Christmas island officially territory of christmas island island in the indian ocean about 224 miles 360 km south of the island of java and 870 miles 1 400 km northwest of australia that is administered as an external territory of australia the island is the summit of an oceanic mountain whose highest point on the island is murray hill rising to 1 184 feet 361 metres in the western. 1 at the close of the day on 30 september the union jack outside the residency and the administration offices on christmas island was lowered followed by the raising of the. And as the christmas island women s association complained to the australian human rights commission recently the absence of residential aged care respite facilities and geriatric staff for an.
The territory of christmas island is an australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. Flying fish cove also known as kampong. Christmas island in the indian ocean is more than 1 500km from mainland australia. During wwii the japanese fought to control it for the same reason.
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. Today it s a lush off. But with britain giving up many of its colonies after the war australia expressed an interest in acquiring christmas island. Christmas island in the indian ocean is more than 1 500km from mainland australia.
I have no first hand experience in this deal. However prior to wwii the british viewed this island as a strategic military control point for the east indian ocean. It has an area of 135 square kilometres 52 sq mi. The sovereignty of christmas island was transferred from singapore then a crown colony of the united kingdom to the commonwealth of australia on 1 october 1958 under the transfer to australia order in council 1958.
This tiny dog shaped island was named on christmas day 1643 by an english sea captain. The christmas island phosphate company found it difficult to re establish their operations at the profitable pre war levels.