Background: Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations beacons and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other, mostly grass or scrub cover; Lihou Reef Reserve and Coringa-Herald Reserve were declared National Nature Reserves on 3 August 1982
Geography Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
Country name: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
Government type: territory of Australia administered by the Minister for Territories and Local Government, with the nature reserves under the National Parks and Wildlife Service
Legal system: the governor general of Australia has the power to make ordinances for the territory; by ordinance, the laws of the Australian Capital Territory apply; the Supreme Court and Court of Petty Sessions of Norfolk Island have jurisdiction over the territory