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. Apart from North Keeling Island, which lies 30 kilometers north of the main group, the islands form a horseshoe-shaped atoll surrounding a lagoon. North Keeling Island was declared a national park in 1995 and is administered by Parks Australia. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.
Geography
- Location
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
- Geographic coordinates
- Area 241/257
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
mean elevation:
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
- Natural resources
fish
- Land use
agricultural land: 0%
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0%
forest: 0%
other: 100% (2011 est.)
- Irrigated land
NA
- Natural hazards
cyclone season is October to April
- Environment - current issues
freshwater resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
- Geography - note
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island
People and Society
- Nationality
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander
- Ethnic groups
Europeans, Cocos Malays
- Languages
Malay (Cocos dialect), English
- Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
- Population 237/238
596 (July 2014 est.)
- Population growth rate 197/233
0% (2014 est.)
- 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
Government
- Country name
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
etymology: the name refers to the abundant coconut trees on the islands and to English Captain William KEELING, the first European to sight the islands in 1609
- Government type
NA
- Capital
name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12.10° S, 96.50° 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
23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955); amended many times, last in 2010 (2015)
- Legal system
common law based on the Australian model
- Citizenship
see Australia
- Suffrage
18 years of age
- Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sir Peter COSGROVE (since 28 March 2014)
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Barry HAASE (since 6 October 2014)
cabinet: NA
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia
- Legislative branch
description: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms with a portion of the membership renewed every 2 years)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in October 2011 (next to be held in October 2013)
- Judicial branch
highest court(s): under the terms of the Territorial Law Reform Act 1992, Western Australia provides court services as needed for the island including the Supreme Court and subordinate courts (District Court, Magistrate Court, Family Court, Children's Court, and Coroners' Court)
- Political parties and leaders
none
- Political pressure groups and leaders
The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre
- International organization participation
none
- Flag description
the flag of Australia is used
- National anthem
note: as a territory of Australia, "Advance Australia Fair" remains official as the national anthem, while "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
Economy
- Economy - overview
Coconuts, grown throughout the islands, 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)
- GDP - real growth rate 172/225
1% (2003)
- Agriculture - products
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
- Industries
copra products, tourism
- Labor force
NA
- Labor force - by occupation
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism is the other main source of employment
- Unemployment rate 203/207
60% (2000 est.)
- Budget
revenues:
expenditures:
- Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
- Exports
- Exports - commodities
copra
- Imports
- Imports - commodities
foodstuffs
- Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
1.33 (2015)
1.04 (2013)
1.04 (2013)
0.97 (2012)
0.97 (2011)
Communications
- Telephone system
general assessment: telephone service is part of the Australian network; an operational local mobile-cellular network available; wireless Internet connectivity available
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)
- Broadcast media
1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2009)
- Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)
- Television broadcast stations
4 (2007)
- Internet country code
.cc
- Internet hosts 99/232
42,820 (2012)
Transnational Issues
- Disputes - international
none