Coral Sea Islands

Coral Sea Islands

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 Willis Island. 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 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 water: 0 sq km land: less than 3 sq km
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 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) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional tropical cyclones Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources
Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles People Coral Sea Islands
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA 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 none (territory of Australia)
US:
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used Economy Coral Sea Islands -
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
Waterways: none
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

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▪ territory, Australia

officially  Coral Sea Islands Territory 

      group of islands situated east of Queensland, Austl., in the South Pacific Ocean; they constitute an external territory of Australia. Spread over a vast sea area of about 300,000 square miles (780,000 square km) off the outer (eastern) edge of the Great Barrier Reef, the islands themselves occupy only a few square miles of actual land area. They consist of widely scattered coral reefs and sand cays that support large populations of seabirds.

      In 1770 Capt. James Cook (Cook, James) explored parts of the region, and in the late 1800s guano was collected from the islands. Some of the better-known islands are Cato Island, Chilcott Islet in the Coringa group, the Willis group, and Bird Islet and West Islet, which form part of Wreck Reefs. Other formations include Herald's Beacon Islet (part of Mellish Reef), Frederick Reef, Bougainville Reef, and Lihou Reef. The islands were declared to be Australian territory in 1969 by the Coral Sea Islands Act; Elizabeth and Middleton reefs, located south of the original territory and southeast of Brisbane, were added in 1997. Much of the territory comprises national nature reserves, but there is some commercial fishing in the area. There is a manned weather station in the Willis group; otherwise the islands are uninhabited.

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