2021 Edition

Background

British captain William KEELING discovered Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1609 and they were named the Cocos Islands in 1622 for their coconut trees. Some maps began referring to them as the Keeling Islands in 1703. In 1825, Scottish trader John CLUNIES-ROSS was trying to get to Christmas Island but was blown off-course and landed on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The next year, a British trader hired John’s brother to bring slaves and a harem of Malay women to create the first permanent settlement on the island. By the 1830s, the Clunies-Ross family had firmly established themselves as the leaders of the islands and they ruled Cocos (Keeling) Islands in a feudal style until 1978.The UK annexed the islands in 1857 and administered them from Ceylon after 1878 and from Singapore after 1886. Cocos (Keeling) Islands hosted a cable relaying station and was attacked by the Germans in World War I. The Japanese similarly attacked the islands in World War II. The UK transferred the islands to Australia in 1955, which officially named the islands the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in 1978, Australia bought all the land held by the Clunies-Ross family, ending their control of the islands’ governance. In a referendum in 1984, most islanders voted to integrate with Australia, and Western Australian laws have applied on the islands since 1992.  

Area

land

14 sq km

note

note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

total

14 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Climate

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Coastline

26 km

Elevation

highest point

South Point on South Island 9 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Geography - note

note 1: there are 27 coral islands in the group; apart from North Keeling Island, which lies 30 km 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; the islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetationnote 2: 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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

100% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclone season is October to April

Natural resources

fish

Population distribution

only Home Island and West Island are populated

Terrain

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Age structure

0-14 years

NA

15-24 years

NA

25-54 years

NA

55-64 years

NA

65 years and over

NA

Birth rate

NA

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: NA

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Europeans, Cocos Malays

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

NA (2021 est.)

male

NA

total

NA

Languages

Languages

Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA (2021 est.)

male

NA

total population

NA

Nationality

adjective

Cocos Islander

noun

Cocos Islander(s)

Net migration rate

NA (2021 est.)

Population

596 (July 2014 est.)

Population distribution

only Home Island and West Island are populated

Population growth rate

NA (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

NA (2021 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 96 50 E

name

West Island

time difference

UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see Australia

Constitution

amendments

amended many times, last in 2020

history

23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955)

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

Dependency status

non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by the governor general for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia

head of government

Administrator Natasha GRIGGS (since 5 October 2017)

Flag description

the flag of Australia is used

Government type

non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

highest courts

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)

Legal system

common law based on the Australian model

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms with half the membership renewed every 2 years)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 5, women 2, percent of women 28.6%

elections

last held in October 2017 (next to be held on 31 October 2019)

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)

National holiday

Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age

Agricultural products

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Budget

expenditures

NA

revenues

NA

Economic 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.

Exchange rates

currency

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.1094 (2013)

Exchange rates 2014

1.3291 (2014)

Exchange rates 2015

1.3442 (2015)

Exchange rates 2016

1.3442 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

1.311 (2017 est.)

Exports

NA

Exports - commodities

computers, packaged medicines, precious metal watches, office machinery/parts, chemical analysis instruments (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 57%, Ireland 15% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Imports

NA

Imports - commodities

gold, x-ray equipment, cars, prefabricated buildings, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

Australia 73%, United Arab Emirates 15%, Netherlands 5% (2019)

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

NA

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2003

1% (2003)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2000

60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate 2011

0.1% (2011)

Broadcast media

1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017)

Internet country code

.cc

Telecommunication systems

domestic

local area code - 08

general assessment

telephone service is part of the Australian network; an operational local mobile-cellular network available; wireless Internet connectivity available

international

international code - 61 8; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat)

Airports

total

1 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2019)

total

1

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Port Refuge

Roadways

paved

10 km (2007)

total

22 km (2007)

unpaved

12 km (2007)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Disputes - international

none

Climate

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Environment - current issues

freshwater resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs; illegal fishing a concern

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

100% (2018 est.)