The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
- international:
involved in complex dispute with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; most of the rugged,
militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two sides are
committed to begin resolution with discussions on the least disputed
Middle Sector; Kashmir remains the world's largest and highly
militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), but recent discussion
and confidence-building measures among parties are beginning to
defuse tensions, India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to
China in a 1964 boundary agreement; China and Taiwan continue to
assert their claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands
(Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions;
certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested
dispute with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount
Paektu is indefinite - China has been attempting to manage illegal
migration of North Koreans into northern China; China and Russia in
2004 resolved their last border dispute over islands in the Amur and
Argun Rivers, but details on demarcation have not yet been
worked-out; boundary delimitation agreements signed in 2002 with
Tajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in
return for China's relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km, but
demarcation has not commenced; agreements with Vietnam demarcating
maritime boundaries and fisheries cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin
were ratified in June, and demarcation of the land boundary
continues; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed
by Vietnam and Taiwan; in response to groups in Burma and Thailand
expressing concern over China's plans to construct 13 hydroelectric
dams on the Nu River in Yunnan Province (Salween River in Burma),
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao suspended the project to conduct an
environmental impact assessment, a smaller scale version of only 4
dams is now scheduled to move forward
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) (2004)
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 10 February, 2005
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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 was begun 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
water: 0 sq km
land: 135 sq km
Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
80 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%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
park (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People Christmas Island
Population: 396 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: NA 15–64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
−9% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
NA (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)
male: NA years
Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS