ROBERT S. ST AN DEN. 
DRAFT 
pagel 
Christmas Island Description 
Christmas Island is onetjri/ of the largest atolls 
Northwest Point to.Southeast 
in the world. It is sit 
utl!d P 2 i “i5orfh 2 £n3 i l??“20 
! % 
West, 153 miles ESE of banning Island , making it 
the southern most island in the Line lj>>j?$n§s. Its' 
160 souare miles of land make it larger than all 
The* Atoll is circular but there is a penmnsula 
the other small islands in t _, central pPacifip_put together 
that runs for about 14 miles to the ESE and is 
3-4 miles wide. There are several fresh water lakes 
along the southern edge of this peninsula. 
an 
X^a2? seems to be drying and extensile 
serriesXSXXlakes and mud flats 
The lagoon is large and measures about 10 miles 
by 6. It seems to be drying and an extensile 
serries of %/% salt lakes has developed along its e 
\ eastern edge. The 
The island continues without a break,curves 
back and almost meets at the west.end. Here there 
is 3 miles opening iinbo the lagoon. 
Cook Island which is nnly 3A of a mile long is 
in the middle of this channel* 
The climate on Christmas is marginal^/ but 
just wet enough for crowing coconuts* The copra 
yeild is not very high and in dry years the newly 
planted trees often die* No other trees are 
—* — * ( 
common on the island* Messerschmit&ia is usually 
the tallest plant except for the Coconut lalms* 
The island is low and flat but reaches nearly 
40 feet in the western part. Because of its great 
size water that is only slightly brac^is can be fo 
found 8-10 feet below the surface some distance fro 
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