From Free media library
| Introduction
| Coral Sea Islands
|
| Background:
| Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.
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| Geography
| Coral Sea Islands
|
| Location:
| Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
|
| Geographic coordinates:
| 18 00 S, 152 00 E
|
| Map references:
| Oceania
|
| Area:
| total: less than 3 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important
water: 0 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
|
| Area - comparative:
| NA
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| Land boundaries:
| 0 km
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| Coastline:
| 3,095 km
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| Maritime claims:
| territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
|
| Climate:
| tropical
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| Terrain:
| sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
|
| Elevation extremes:
| lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
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| Natural resources:
| NEGL
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| Land use:
| arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)
|
| Irrigated land:
| 0 sq km (1998 est.)
|
| Natural hazards:
| occasional tropical cyclones
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| Environment - current issues:
| no permanent fresh water resources
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| Geography - note:
| important nesting area for birds and turtles
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| Population:
| no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.)
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| Government
| Coral Sea Islands
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| Country name:
| conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
|
| Dependency status:
| territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
|
| Legal system:
| the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
|
| Executive branch:
| administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US:
| none (territory of Australia)
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US:
| none (territory of Australia)
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| Flag description:
| the flag of Australia is used
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| Economy
| Coral Sea Islands
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| Economy - overview:
| no economic activity
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| Communications
| Coral Sea Islands
|
| Communications - note:
| there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
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| Transportation
| Coral Sea Islands
|
| Ports and harbors:
| none; offshore anchorage only
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| Military
| Coral Sea Islands
|
| Military - note:
| defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
|
This page was last updated on 1 January 2003
This is a snapshot of the CIA World Fact Book as it existed on 26 March 2005
