Christmas Island is one of two states and territories of Australia (the other being the Cocos (Keeling) Islands) where European Australians make up a minority of the population. The culture of Christmas Island is most significantly similar to Singapore, and it was also formerly a part of the country until it was transferred to Australia in 1958 for $20 million after Australia made a request to the British Government. Almost all of the public housing located on the island, where most Christmas Islanders live, was built and developed by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor of the current Housing and Development Board.