There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.
Location
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates
12 30 S, 96 50 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Area
total
14 sq km
land
14 sq km
water
0 sq km
note
includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area - comparative
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
26 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Terrain
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point
unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources
fish
Land use
arable land
0%
permanent crops
0%
other
100% (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
cyclone season is October to April
Environment - current issues
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
Geography - note
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
Population
596 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
NA
15-64 years
NA
65 years and over
NA
Population growth rate
0% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
NA
Death rate
NA
Net migration rate
NA
Infant mortality rate
total
NA
male
NA
female
NA
Life expectancy at birth
total population
NA
male
NA
female
NA
Total fertility rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
Cocos Islander(s)
adjective
Cocos Islander
Ethnic groups
Europeans, Cocos Malays
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
Languages
Malay (Cocos dialect), English
Literacy
NA
Country name
conventional long form
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency status
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Government type
NA
Capital
name
West Island
geographic coordinates
12 10 S, 96 55 E
time difference
UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (territory of Australia)
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Legal system
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Suffrage
NA
Executive branch
chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government
Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
cabinet
NA
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Legislative branch
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders
none
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
International organization participation
none
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description
the flag of Australia is used
Economy - overview
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$NA
Labor force
NA
Labor force - by occupation
Unemployment rate
60% (2000 est.)
Budget
revenues
$NA
expenditures
$NA
Agriculture - products
Industries
copra products and tourism
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
NA
hydro
NA
nuclear
NA
other
NA
Exports
$NA
Exports - commodities
copra
Exports - partners
Australia (2006)
Imports
$NA
Imports - commodities
foodstuffs
Imports - partners
Australia (2006)
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Currency (code)
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code
AUD
Exchange rates
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Telephones - main lines in use
287 (1992)
Telephone system
general assessment
connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic
NA
international
country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios
300 (1992)
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
NA
Internet country code
.cc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
NA
Airports
1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
1 (2006)
Roadways
total
22 km
paved
10 km
unpaved
12 km (2006)
Ports and terminals
Port Refuge
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force
