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The World Factbook 2002
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands |

Introduction | Cocos (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 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location: | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south 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 note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island water: 0 sq km land: 14 sq km
Area - comparative: | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 26 km
Maritime claims: | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
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

People | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: | 632 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%
Population growth rate: | -0.22% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: | NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: | NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Total fertility rate: | NA children born/woman
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

Government | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name: | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Dependency status: | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Government type: | NA
Capital: | West Island
Administrative divisions: | none (territory of Australia)
Independence: | none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: | NA
Constitution: | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
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 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: | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
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 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

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
GDP - real growth rate: | NA%
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | NA%
Labor force: | NA
Labor force - by occupation: | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Unemployment rate: | 60% (2000 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: | copra products and tourism
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh
Agriculture - products: | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Exports: | $NA
Exports - commodities: | copra
Exports - partners: | Australia
Imports: | $NA
Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs
Imports - partners: | Australia
Debt - external: | $NA
Economic aid - recipient: | $NA
Currency: | Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code: | AUD
Exchange rates: | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June

Communications | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: | 287 (1992)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | NA
Telephone system: | 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: | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
Radios: | 300 (1992)
Television broadcast stations: | NA
Televisions: | NA
Internet country code: | .cc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000)
Internet users: | NA

Transportation | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Railways: | 0 km
Highways: | total: 15 km (2001) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: | none
Ports and harbors: | none; lagoon anchorage only
Merchant marine: | none (2002 est.)
Airports: | 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Military | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force

Transnational Issues | Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002