Place details
Place nameChristmas Island
Other namesTerritory of Christmas Island, Weihnachtsinsel, Isla Christmas, KT00
Latitude-10.5
Longitude105.667
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
Island has no indigenous inhabitants; sighted in 1615 by Richard Rowe; named by Captain Mynors of British East India Company in 1643; Europeans arrived ca. 1650; annexed by Britain in 19th cen.; important for rich forests & as haven for various fauna.