]! ^! 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 the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. 
]" ^" Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia ^# 18 00 S, 152 00 E ^$ Oceania ^% `! less than 3 sq km `" less than 3 sq km `# 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important ^& NA ^' 0 km ^( 3,095 km ^) `$ 3 nm `a 200 nm ^* tropical ^+ sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) ^, `% Pacific Ocean 0 m `& unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m ^- NEGL ^. `' 0% `( 0% `) 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) ^/ 0 sq km ^0 occasional tropical cyclones ^1 no permanent fresh water resources ^2 important nesting area for birds and turtles 
]# ^3 no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2005 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Coral Sea Islands Territory `5 Coral Sea Islands ^G territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories ^N the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply ^P administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories ^V none (territory of Australia) ^W none (territory of Australia) ^X the flag of Australia is used 
]% ^Y no economic activity 
]& _a there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland 
]' _C none; offshore anchorage only 
]( _G defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors 
]) _H none 