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  Cocos (Keeling) Islands  
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In general, information available as of 1 January 2003
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003.


This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


Map of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing Rank Order Rank Order
   Introduction    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
12 30 S, 96 50 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Southeast Asia
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 14 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 14 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
26 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
cyclone season is October to April
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
   People    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
630 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Europeans, Cocos Malays
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Malay (Cocos dialect), English
   Government    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
West Island
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
none
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
the flag of Australia is used
   Economy    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
60% (2000 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
copra products and tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
other: NA%
nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA kWh
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
copra
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia (1999)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia (1999)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
AUD
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
287 (1992)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.cc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
2 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transportation    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 km
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 15 km (2001)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
none
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
none; lagoon anchorage only
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
none (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
   Military    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force
   Transnational Issues    Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


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