First sighted in 1615 by Richard Rowe, master of the Thomas, the island was named o.... christma island

First sighted in 1615 by Richard Rowe, master of the Thomas, the island was named on Christmas Day 1643 by Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company. In 1888 the island was annexed by Great Britain, and the first settlement was established at Flying Fish Cove by George Clunies-Ross of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. A 99-year lease, granted in 1891 to Clunies-Ross and Murray, to mine phosphate and cut timber was transferred six years later to the Christmas Island Phosphate Company, Ltd., which was largely owned by the former lessees. In 1948 the governments of New Zealand and Australia acquired the interests and assets of the Christmas Island Phosphate Company. The Christmas Island Phosphate Commission was established in 1949 to carry out mining and shipping operations on behalf of both governments. Most of the island's residents traditionally have been employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas Island, Ltd., which is owned by the Australian government. T! he Australian governor-general appoints an administrator of Christmas Island. Almost all of the island's residents are Australian citizens or residents under the statutes of the Christmas Island Act and the Citizenship Act. christma island