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| 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. |
| 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
land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 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 |
Area - comparative: | NA |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 3,095 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical |
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 |
Natural resources: | NEGL |
Land use: | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
Irrigated land: | 0 sq km |
Natural hazards: | occasional tropical cyclones |
Environment - current issues: | no permanent fresh water resources |
Geography - note: | important nesting area for birds and turtles |
Population: | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2005 est.) |
| Government | Coral Sea Islands | |
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) |
Flag description: | the flag of Australia is used |
Economy - overview: | no economic activity |
| Communications | Coral Sea Islands | |
Communications - note: | there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland |
| Transportation | Coral Sea Islands | |
Ports and harbors: | none; offshore anchorage only |
| 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 |
| Transnational Issues | Coral Sea Islands | |
Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 9 August, 2005 | -.-.- |
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