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Compare key data on Christmas Island & Japan

Definitions

  • Geography > Area > Comparative: The area of various small countries expressed in comparison to various areas within the United States of America.
  • Geography > Area > Land: Total land area in square kilometres
  • Geography > Area > Total: Total area in square kilometers
  • Geography > Climate: A brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  • Geography > Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources.
  • Government > Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Government > Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
  • Government > Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Government > Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Government > Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Government > Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • People > Birth rate: The average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
  • People > Ethnic groups: This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
  • People > Population: Population, total refers to the total population.
  • Religion > Religions: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.
  • Government > Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Economy > Economy > Overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
  • People > Death rate: The average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
  • Government > Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
  • Geography > Natural resources: A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
  • People > Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
  • Geography > Area > Land > Per capita: Total land area in square kilometres Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Language > Languages: A rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.
  • Transport > Road network length > Km: Length of road network in kilometers in European Union countries.
  • Government > Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
  • Religion > Religions > All: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.
  • Geography > Terrain: A brief description of the topography
  • Geography > Location: The country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  • Labor > Labor force > By occupation: Component parts of the labor force by occupation.
  • Government > Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
  • Geography > Coastline: The total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  • Environment > Current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
  • Government > Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
  • Government > Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Government > Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Government > International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Geography > Area > Water: Total water area in square kilometers
  • Transport > Airports: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
  • Geography > Area > Comparative to US places: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  • Economy > Fiscal year: The beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
  • People > Nationality > Noun: The noun which identifies citizens of the nation
  • Geography > Elevation extremes > Highest point: Highest point above sea level
  • Agriculture > Products: Major agricultural crops and products
  • Economy > Exports > Commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  • Religion > Seventh-day Adventist Membership: This entry lists Seventh-day Adventist membership worldwide as of 2004. Membership is defined as baptised and active.
  • Government > Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Geography > Land use > Arable land: The percentage of used land that is arable. Arable land is land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice
  • People > Nationality > Adjective: This entry is derived from People > Nationality, which provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
  • Media > Radio broadcast stations: The total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.
  • Government > Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • Government > National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  • Geography > Natural hazards: Potential natural disasters.
  • Government > Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Geography > Maritime claims > Territorial sea: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal State extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the LOS Convention (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles. A full and definitive definition can be found in the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention.
  • Media > Televisions: The total number of televisions
STAT Christmas Island Japan HISTORY
Geography > Area > Comparative about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than California
Geography > Area > Land 135 sq km
Ranked 213th.
374,744 sq km
Ranked 60th. 2776 times more than Christmas Island

Geography > Area > Total 135 sq km
Ranked 221st.
377,915 sq km
Ranked 63th. 2799 times more than Christmas Island

Geography > Climate tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Geography > Geographic coordinates 10 30 S, 105 40 E 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Government > Constitution Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947
Government > Government type NA a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
Government > Judicial branch Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Government > Legal system legal system is under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law civil law system based on German model; system also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Government > Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for fixed six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the prime minister has the right to dissolve the House of Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet
Government > Suffrage 18 years of age 20 years of age; universal
People > Birth rate -9 births/1,000 population
Ranked 228th.
8.23 births/1,000 population
Ranked 219th.

People > Ethnic groups Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
People > Population 1,513
Ranked 229th.
127.25 million
Ranked 10th. 84106 times more than Christmas Island

Religion > Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Government > Political parties and leaders none Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Banri KAIEDA]<br />Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]<br />Japan Restoration Party or JRP [Shintaro ISHIHARA]<br />Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]<br />New Komeito or NK [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]<br />People's Life Party or PF [Ichiro OZAWA]<br />Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]<br />Tomorrow Party of Japan or TPJ [Tomoko ABE]<br />Your Party or YP [Yoshimi WATANABE]
Economy > Economy > Overview The main economic activities on Christmas Island are the mining of low grade phosphate, limited tourism, the provision of government services and more recently the construction and operation of the Immigration Detention Center. The government sector includes administration, health, education, policing, customs, quarantine and defense. In the years following World War II, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan develop a technologically advanced economy. Two notable characteristics of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. A small agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. While self-sufficient in rice production, Japan imports about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. Modest economic growth continued after 2000, but the economy has fallen into recession three times since 2008. A sharp downturn in business investment and global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan into recession. Government stimulus spending helped the economy recover in late 2009 and 2010, but the economy contracted again in 2011 as the massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in March disrupted manufacturing. The economy has largely recovered in the two years since the disaster, but reconstruction in the Tohoku region has been uneven. Newly-elected Prime Minister Shinzo ABE has declared the economy his government's top priority; he has pledged to reconsider his predecessor's plan to permanently close nuclear power plants and is pursuing an economic revitalization agenda of fiscal stimulus and regulatory reform and has said he will press the Bank of Japan to loosen monetary policy. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2012 stood as the fourth-largest economy in the world after second-place China, which surpassed Japan in 2001, and third-place India, which edged out Japan in 2012. The new government will continue a longstanding debate on restructuring the economy and reining in Japan's huge government debt, which exceeds 200% of GDP. Persistent deflation, reliance on exports to drive growth, and an aging and shrinking population are other major long-term challenges for the economy.
People > Death rate -9 deaths/1,000 population
Ranked 228th.
9.27 deaths/1,000 population
Ranked 60th.

Government > Political pressure groups and leaders none <strong>other: </strong>business groups; trade unions
Geography > Natural resources phosphate, beaches negligible mineral resources, fish
People > Population growth rate 1.12%
Ranked 105th.
-0.1%
Ranked 203th.

Geography > Area > Land > Per capita 373.96 sq km per 1,000 people
Ranked 7th. 127 times more than Japan
2.94 sq km per 1,000 people
Ranked 190th.

Media > Internet users 464
Ranked 1st.
99.18 million
Ranked 3rd. 213754 times more than Christmas Island
Language > Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay Japanese
Transport > Road network length > Km
Government > Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Religion > Religions > All Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Geography > Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau mostly rugged and mountainous
Geography > Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Labor > Labor force > By occupation tourism 400 people, mining 100 people agriculture 4.6%, industry 27.8%, services 67.7%
Government > Executive branch > Head of government Administrator Jon STANHOPE (since 5 October 2012) Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 December 2012); Deputy Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 26 December 2012)
Geography > Coastline 138.9 km
Ranked 152nd.
29,751 km
Ranked 6th. 214 times more than Christmas Island

Environment > Current issues loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
Government > Executive branch > Chief of state Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) represented by the Australian governor general Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
Government > Capital city > Name The Settlement Tokyo
Government > Capital city > Geographic coordinates 10 25 S, 105 43 E 35 41 N, 139 45 E
Government > International organization participation none ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Geography > Area > Water 0.0
Ranked 238th.
13,430 sq km
Ranked 39th.

Media > Broadcast media 1 a mixture of public and commercial broadcast TV and radio stations; 6 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; the large number of radio and TV stations available provide a wide range of choices; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels
Transport > Airports 1
Ranked 233th.
175
Ranked 33th. 175 times more than Christmas Island

Geography > Area > Comparative to US places about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than California
Economy > Fiscal year 1 1
People > Nationality > Noun Christmas Islander(s) Japanese (singular and plural)
Geography > Elevation extremes > Highest point Murray Hill 361 m Fujiyama 3,776 m
Agriculture > Products NA rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
Economy > Exports > Commodities phosphate motor vehicles 13.6%; semiconductors 6.2%; iron and steel products 5.5%; auto parts 4.6%; plastic materials 3.5%; power generating machinery 3.5%
Religion > Seventh-day Adventist Membership 0.0
Ranked 227th.
15,061
Ranked 66th.
Government > Country name > Conventional long form Territory of Christmas Island none
Geography > Land use > Arable land 0.0
Ranked 243th.
11.26%
Ranked 94th.

People > Nationality > Adjective Christmas Island Japanese
Media > Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 AM 215 (plus 370 repeaters), FM 89 (plus 485 repeaters), shortwave 21
Government > Executive branch > Elections the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia for a two-year term and represents the monarch and Australia Diet, the bicameral legislature, designates the prime minister; constitution requires that the prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following legislative elections, the leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister; the monarchy is hereditary
Government > National symbol(s) golden bosun bird red sun disc; chrysanthemum
Geography > Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Government > Flag description territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed; the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
Geography > Maritime claims > Territorial sea 12 nautical mile
Ranked 168th. The same as Japan
12 nautical mile
Ranked 50th.

Media > Televisions 600
Ranked 213th.
86.5 million
Ranked 3rd. 144167 times more than Christmas Island

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Internet World Stats, June 30, 2010; CIA World Factbook, 22 August 2006; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 25 March 2010.; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; adventiststatistics.org 2004 Annual Report 31 December 2004; CIA World Factbook, December 2003

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