Shire of Christmas Island
Encyclopedia
The Shire of Christmas Island is a Local Government Area
which manages local affairs on the Australia
n external territory of Christmas Island
(10°29′S 105°37′E; post code: 6798). The island is grouped with Western Australia
but is administered by the Attorney-General's Department
and an Administrator.
It covers an area of 136.7 km² in the Indian Ocean
about 2,360 km north-west of Perth
and 500 km south of Java
in Indonesia
. It has a population of 1,448 (ABS 2001).
but was transferred to Australia
in 1945. After 1958, it was managed by the Christmas Island Assembly and Christmas Island Services Corporation.
On 1 July 1992, the Federal Government
's Territories Law Reform Act came into place, applying Western Australia
n law to the island. An ordinance subsequently created the Shire of Christmas Island out of a merger of the two previous entities. The first elections were held in May 1993.
The shire's offices are located at George Fam Centre, Murray Road, Christmas Island
.
, Malays
, and people of European descent. The main languages spoken are English
, Malay
, and Mandarin Chinese. Some residents speak other Chinese dialects. About 60% of the population speaks Chinese
at home, 20% speak Malay at home, and 20% speak English or another European language at home.
is the school on Christmas Island. Until the end of 2002 the school was a K-Year 10 school; previously all post-compulsory levels and now compulsory with the new school leaving age (Year 11 and Year 12) studied in Perth
, Western Australia
. Year 11 enrolment began in 2002, and by 2005 Years 11 and 12 had been established at the school. Christmas Island students have the option to remain on the island or study in Perth.
The shire includes a public library for residents. The library has regular book exchanges with the State Library of Western Australia
.
Local Government Areas of Western Australia
The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...
which manages local affairs on the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n external territory of Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
(10°29′S 105°37′E; post code: 6798). The island is grouped with Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
but is administered by the Attorney-General's Department
Attorney-General's Department
An Attorney-General's Department is a government department in certain countries.*Attorney-General's Department *Attorney-General's Department...
and an Administrator.
It covers an area of 136.7 km² in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
about 2,360 km north-west of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and 500 km south of Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. It has a population of 1,448 (ABS 2001).
History
The island was previously a British territory administered through SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
but was transferred to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1945. After 1958, it was managed by the Christmas Island Assembly and Christmas Island Services Corporation.
On 1 July 1992, the Federal Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
's Territories Law Reform Act came into place, applying Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n law to the island. An ordinance subsequently created the Shire of Christmas Island out of a merger of the two previous entities. The first elections were held in May 1993.
The shire's offices are located at George Fam Centre, Murray Road, Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
.
Demographics
The shire has around 1,200 residents consisting mostly of ethnic ChineseEthnic Chinese
Ethnic Chinese may refer to:*Han Chinese, the dominant ethnic group in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, the Republic of China and Singapore....
, Malays
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
, and people of European descent. The main languages spoken are English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, and Mandarin Chinese. Some residents speak other Chinese dialects. About 60% of the population speaks Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
at home, 20% speak Malay at home, and 20% speak English or another European language at home.
Education
Christmas Island District High SchoolChristmas Island District High School
Christmas Island District High School is a school located in Christmas Island, a territory of Australia. The school serves approximately 400 students from Kindergarten through to Year 12...
is the school on Christmas Island. Until the end of 2002 the school was a K-Year 10 school; previously all post-compulsory levels and now compulsory with the new school leaving age (Year 11 and Year 12) studied in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Year 11 enrolment began in 2002, and by 2005 Years 11 and 12 had been established at the school. Christmas Island students have the option to remain on the island or study in Perth.
The shire includes a public library for residents. The library has regular book exchanges with the State Library of Western Australia
State Library of Western Australia
The State Library of Western Australia is located within the building known as the Alexander Library Building, in the Cultural Centre of Perth, Western Australia....
.