Coral Sea Islands

The Coral Sea Islands is an uninhabited external territory of Australia with no permanent population and no local language.
It consists of small, scattered reefs and islands used mainly for weather monitoring, where English is the language of administration.

(territory of Australia)

Geography

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 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important

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%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: occasional, tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of four at the meteorological station(July 2002 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Data code: CR

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Ministry for Sport, Territories, and Local Government

National capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch: administered by the Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environments and Territories of Australia

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications

Communications - note: there are automatic weather relay stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military

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

Disputes - international: none