Was Christmas Island used for nuclear tests?

But before the atomic explosion occurred, our fisheries research vessel Charles H. Gilbert had some unexpected fun with a US Navy destroyer escort. In 1962, the US government conducted a series of 36 atomic bomb tests in the air around Christmas Island.



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Nicknamed the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, the island is famous for its red crabs, sea birds, whale sharks and spectacular coral reefs. Closer to Asia than mainland Australia, it's home to a captivating mix of cultures and some of the world's most spectacular natural wonders.

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Christmas Island began appearing on the charts of English and Dutch navigators from the early 1600s. But it wasn't until 1643 that Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company named the island after sighting it on Christmas Day.

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Christmas Island had a population of 1,692 residents as of 2021, the majority living in settlements on the northern edge of the island. The main settlement is Flying Fish Cove.

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Changing sovereignty As part of the transfer, Australia paid Singapore £2,800,000 as compensation for lost phosphate revenue. Christmas Island became an Australian territory on 1 October 1958 – a day still celebrated on the island as Territory Day.

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Swimming at beaches is only recommended at Flying Fish Cove under calm sea conditions.

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Language. English is the official language on Christmas Island. However, more than half of our residents speak a language other than English at home. While on the island, you might hear people conversing in Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese, Min Nan, Tagalog and a variety of other languages.

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