17 Cracking Facts About Christmas Island

Christmas Island is a small Australian territory located in the Indian Ocean that’s famous for its stunning natural beauty and unique wildlife.

With a population of around 2,000 people, Christmas Island is one of the most remote and isolated places on Earth. Despite its small size, this island is full of fascinating facts and stories, from its stunning annual red crab migration to its incredible biodiversity and rich cultural history.

Want to find out more? Let’s explore the wonders of this beautiful and mysterious island with these 17 fun facts about Christmas Island:

1. You’ll find this festive region Down Under.

Christmas Island is a small Australian territory in the Indian Ocean.

2. Where is Christmas Island close to?

Its nearest neighbours are Indonesia to the north and east, Australia to the south and Cocos (Keeling) Islands to the west.

3. Here’s the compass information.

To witness the majestic sights and social intricacies of this wonderful country, head for the coordinates of 10.4833° S, 105.6333° E for your very own Christmas Island adventure!

4. There are some amazing views!

The terrain here consists of steep cliffs along the coastline, rising sharply to a central plateau.

5. Christmas Island is minute.

The total land area of Christmas Island is 52 square miles (135 square kilometres) – that’s slightly larger than Bristol, an English city.

6. Very few people live here!

Christmas Island’s population was 1,530 in 2014 – that’s less than 1/275th of the population of Bristol! Residents here are known as Christmas Islanders!

7. A brilliant name for a capital!

The capital is Flying Fish Cove; it had a population of 500 in 2013.

8. The main seasons here are either dry or wet – pick one!

Christmas Islanders enjoy a tropical climate with a dry season from May to November, followed by a rainy season from December to April. The heat and humidity here is moderated by trade winds.

9. It’s mainly park land!

Amazingly, around 2/3 of the island is a national park!

10. The land is truly ancient.

Christmas Island was formed around 60 million years ago when a basalt volcanic seamount (an underwater mountain) rose 5,000 metres from the ocean floor!

11. Fancy a crab?

There are an estimated 45 million (yes, million) red crabs living on this tiny island! They migrate each year from the centre of the island to the beaches to breed and can be seen traveling in droves!

Christmas Island is also home to several other species of crab including the largest species in the world, the coconut crab, which can weigh up to 4.1kg and measure an incredible 1m long!

12. There’s no tricky lingo here.

The official language of Christmas Island is English.

13. The reason for the name…

Did you know that Christmas Island was actually named after its discovery on Christmas day in 1643?

14. It took us a long time to move in!

Despite being discovered in 1643, the island wasn’t inhabited until 244 years later!

15. Keep your dollars handy.

Australian Dollar is the official currency here.

16. Or, wear a hat!

You must not touch a stranger’s head in Christmas Island, as it is considered extremely intimate… Ooh err!

17. Does Christmas Island grow or export anything?

Christmas Island doesn’t currently grow anything on a commercial scale, although they are working towards growing fruit and vegetables as a future goal.

Its industry consists of tourism and phosphate extraction.

Christmas Island’s main export is phosphate.

FAQs about Christmas Island

Do you know any fun facts about Christmas Island? Share them in the comments below!