Named by Captain William Mynors on Christmas Day in 1643 as the 'Christmas Island', the island is located in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia and south of Java Island.
Covered by tropical rainforest, with a long monsoon season lasting from December to April and a comforting 27 degrees Celsius otherwise, the Christmas Island is indeed a 'Galapagos of the Indian Ocean' and a nature's paradise.
Over 60 million red land crabs migrate from forests to the coasts, triggered by the first rains in the wet season. It also houses the world's rarest birds, like the Abbott's booby.
Notably, Crocidura trichura, Australia’s only shrew species, last spotted in 1985, was declared extinct this year.
The Island has a fair ethnic Chinese population, a few people belonging to European ancestry, and Malay labourers. Based on the 2021 Australian census, the official population figure stands at 1692.
The economy was completely based on phosphate mining and extraction earlier. With the mineral close to exhaustion now, subsistence cropping, fishing and tourism serve as the backbone of its economy.
Even though English is the Island's official language, many speak Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese, Min Nan, Tagalog and other languages.
Interestingly, the residents of Christmas Island follow different religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity.
A quick look at the history
The island was annexed by Great Britain in 1888, as its soil and rocks were rich in phosphate of lime. In 1891, the Clunies-Ross and Murray family was granted a 99-year period lease to mine phosphate minerals. Later, the lease was transferred to Christmas Island Phosphate Company, Ltd.
Incorporated by the British Crown Colony, then occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War, and then the New Zealand and Australian governments acquiring the interests and assets of the Christmas Island Phosphate Company, Ltd later, the island finally became an Australian territory in 1958. The administrator of Christmas Island is appointed by the Australian governor-general.
A 'Do not miss' destination
With two-thirds of the island being a national park, a walk through the forests, waterfalls, clifftops and beaches makes Christmas Island a 'do not miss' destination.
Fan of laksa, roti canai, satay, hot pot, crispy fried noodles and Hainanese chicken rice? Take a definite step.
Christmas Island is four hours away from Perth via a direct flight!