Who controls Christmas Island?

In 1958, the island was excised from Singapore and sovereignty was transferred to Australia. 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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Today Christmas Island has around 2000 residents. The most common ancestries reported by residents are: Chinese (the largest ethnic group) Australian.

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The local government is the Shire of Christmas Island. This council has 9 members, half the members are elected every two years. Christmas Island residents who are Australian citizens also vote in Commonwealth elections for the Northern Territory's Lingiari constituency of the House of Representatives.

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Working at Christmas Island is a challenging but immensely rewarding experience for anyone who wants to make a difference in a unique and highly fragile wilderness environment. Our current job vacancies are advertised on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website.

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The Australian Federal Police (AFP) provides community policing services to Christmas Island. In addition to normal police functions, the AFP carries out other duties such as immigration, processing aircraft, visiting ships and yachts, and coordinating emergency operations.

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That means you can score a great deal on popular duty-free items such as fragrances, leather goods, electronics, jewellery, watches and sunglasses. It also means Christmas Island has some of the cheapest alcohol in Australia – perfect for treating yourself to a beer or a gin and tonic as the sun goes down.

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Since the detention centre was built on the island in 2006, the island population of about 1,500 locals has jumped dramatically. Mr McDonald says the cost of living is now estimated at about 180 per cent above that on the mainland. An iceberg lettuce at the local store can cost as much as $12.

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The island has a tropical climate in which heat and humidity are moderated by trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. The highest temperature is usually around 29 °C (84 °F) in March and April, while the lowest temperature is 23 °C (73 °F) and occurs in August.

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Christmas Island International Airport Check-in counters are open two and a half hours before departure. Baggage carousels are located in the Arrivals Hall.

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Electricity on Christmas Island On Christmas Island the power plug sockets are of type I. The standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz.

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The importation of dogs and cats into Christmas Island is prohibited by the Importation of Dogs and Cats Ordinance 1973, due to concerns about environmental, social, cultural, animal health and welfare issues.

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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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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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  • Abbott's booby.
  • Brown booby.
  • Christmas Island emerald dove.
  • Christmas Island frigatebird.
  • Christmas Island goshawk.
  • Christmas Island hawk-owl.
  • Christmas Island imperial pigeon.
  • Christmas Island thrush.


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