from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Cocos
Introduction (Keeling) Islands
Background: There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain
William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but
they remained uninhabited until the 19th century.
Annexed by the UK in 1857, they 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.
Geography (Keeling) Islands
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian
Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from
Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic 12 30 S, 96 50 E
coordinates:
Map Southeast Asia
references:
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 - about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural fish
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural cyclone season is October to April
hazards:
Environment - fresh water resources are limited to rainwater
current accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
issues:
Geography - islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and
note: other vegetation
People (Keeling) Islands
Population: 574 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Population 0% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration NA
rate:
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA
expectancy at male: NA
birth: female: NA
Total NA
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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
Government (Keeling) Islands
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling)
Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency non-self governing territory of Australia; administered
status: from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport
and Regional Services
Government NA
type:
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 none (territory of Australia)
divisions:
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
holiday:
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 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 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 unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7
branch: 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 Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
branch:
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political none
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International none
organization
participation:
Diplomatic none (territory of Australia)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (territory of Australia)
representation
from the US:
Flag the flag of Australia is used
description:
Economy (Keeling) Islands
Economy - Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole
overview: 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 $NA
(purchasing
power parity):
Labor force: NA
Labor force - note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd.
by occupation: employs construction workers, stevedores, and
lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Unemployment 60% (2000 est.)
rate:
Budget: revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
Agriculture - vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
products:
Industries: copra products and tourism
Electricity - fossil fuel: NA
production by hydro: NA
source: nuclear: NA
other: NA
Exports: $NA
Exports - copra
commodities:
Exports - Australia (2004)
partners:
Imports: $NA
Imports - foodstuffs
commodities:
Imports - Australia (2004)
partners:
Economic aid - $NA
recipient:
Currency Australian dollar (AUD)
(code):
Currency code: AUD
Exchange Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005),
rates: 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications (Keeling) Islands
Telephones - 287 (1992)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - note - analog cellular service available
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: connected within Australia's
system: telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and
facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere
via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station
Radio AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 300 (1992)
Television NA
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .cc
country code:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet NA
users:
Transportation (Keeling) Islands
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 22 km
paved: 10 km
unpaved: 12 km (2006)
Ports and Port Refuge
terminals:
Military (Keeling) Islands
Military - defense is the responsibility of Australia; the
note: territory has a five-person police force
Transnational (Keeling) Islands
Issues
Disputes - none
international: