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The
Territory of Christmas Island is a small, non self-governing territory
of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 2,360 km (1,466 miles)
northwest of Perth in Western Australia and 500 km (310 miles) south
of Jakarta, Indonesia. It
maintains about 1,600 residents who live in a number of "settlement
areas" on the northern tip of the island: Flying Fish Cove
(also known as "The Settlement"), Silver City, Kampong,
Poon Saan, and Drumsite.
It has a unique natural
topography and is of immense interest to scientists and naturalists
due to the number of species of endemic flora and fauna which
have evolved in isolation and undisturbed by human habitation.
65 percent of its
135 square kilometres (52.1 sq. mi) are now National Park and
there are large areas of pristine and ancient rainforest. |
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