Christmas Island is an Australian external territory located in the Indian Ocean. It lies about 1,500 km west of the Australian mainland and approximately 2,600 km northwest of Perth, Western Australia. The island is situated roughly 350 km south of Indonesia, making Indonesia its nearest neighbor, and about 500 km from Jakarta. It is also about 985 km east- northeast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, another Australian territory

. Geographically, Christmas Island is about 19 km long and 14.5 km wide, with a total area of around 135 square kilometers. The island features steep cliffs, tropical rainforests, and a central plateau rising to 361 meters at Murray Hill. Its main settlement and port is Flying Fish Cove, located on the northeastern part of the island

. Despite its remote location, Christmas Island can be reached by air from Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It is known for its unique flora and fauna, including the famous annual red crab migration