What is the native language of Christmas Island?
Language. English is the official language on Christmas Island. However, more than half of our residents speak a language other than English at home. While on the island, you might hear people conversing in Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese, Min Nan, Tagalog and a variety of other languages.
Does anyone live on Christmas Island?
About 1,600 people live on Christmas Island, mostly in a number of “settlement areas” on the north of the island: Flying Fish Cove (also known as Kampong) Settlement.
Why did they call it Christmas Island?
Christmas Island began appearing on the charts of English and Dutch navigators from the early 1600s. But it wasn’t until 1643 that Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company named the island after sighting it on Christmas Day.
What is the culture of Christmas Island?
The diversity of the settlers’ native tongues and cultures has influenced the island’s own culture, as evidenced by the range of ethnic festivals held throughout the year. Today most residents are Chinese followed by Australian / Europeans and Malay.
Who does Christmas Island belong to?
Australia
Christmas Island, officially Territory of Christmas Island, island in the Indian Ocean, about 224 miles (360 km) south of the island of Java and 870 miles (1,400 km) northwest of Australia, that is administered as an external territory of Australia.
What happened at Christmas Island?
March 1942 – 1945 900 Japanese troops invade and occupy Christmas Island, imprisoning remaining Europeans and hunting 1000 Malay and Chinese workers in the jungle. Islander sabotage and allied submarines lead to suspension of mining. In 1943, half the population is sent to prison camps in Indonesia when food runs low.
Who owns Xmas Island?
Australia and New Zealand buy the Christmas Island Phosphate company and Christmas Island is administered by the Colony of Singapore. Sovereignty is transferred by the United Kingdom to Australia and Christmas Island becomes an Australian Territory.
What nationality is Christmas Island?
Australian
Almost all of the island’s residents are Australian citizens or residents under the statutes of the Christmas Island Act and the Citizenship Act.
Is Christmas Island an Australian territory?
Christmas Island is located in the Indian Ocean, 1500 km west of the Australian mainland and 2600 km from Perth. Although it is an Australian territory, Christmas Island’s nearest neighbour is Indonesia, which lies about 350 km to the north.
What happened to the people on Christmas Island?
In November 1943, over 60% of the island’s population was evacuated to Surabaya prison camps, leaving a total population of just under 500 Chinese and Malays and 15 Japanese to survive as best they could. In October 1945, HMS Rother re-occupied Christmas Island.
Did the Japanese invade Christmas Island?
One British officer and four British enlisted men were killed in a mutiny on 10 March 1942. The Battle of Christmas Island was a small engagement which began on 31 March 1942, during World War II….Battle of Christmas Island.
| Date | 31 March − 1 April 1942 |
|---|---|
| Result | Japanese victory |
| Territorial changes | Christmas Island occupied by Japanese forces |
Who are the residents of Christmas Island Australia?
The administrator has a staff for secretariat, education, postal, police, radio, and harbour duties. A locally elected assembly provides political representation for the islanders. Almost all of the island’s residents are Australian citizens or residents under the statutes of the Christmas Island Act and the Citizenship Act.
Why is there so much unrest on Christmas Island?
Further unrest among detainees on Christmas Island is due to the Australian government holding people in “inhumane” conditions, refugee advocates have said.
Are there any Chinese people on Christmas Island?
Chan stresses too that islanders are happy to help, to play their part in Australia’s response to the virus. He says the island bears no ill will to those brought here for quarantine (people of Chinese origin are the largest population group on Christmas Island). He just wishes the island had been asked.
What was the reaction on Christmas Island Australia?
The reaction on Christmas Island was apoplectic. Local message boards lit up in furious response. “Very, very unfair,” a Malay woman who has lived for decades on Christmas Island, tells Guardian Australia, declining to give her name because of employment sensitivities. “Other people are angry that our island is being used for this.