Communications
Airports [time series]
1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 1,220-2,439 m; airport on West Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa
none; lagoon anchorage only
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV
Defense Forces
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Budget [time series]
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid [time series]
none
Electricity [time series]
1,000 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, 2,980 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates [time series]
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3360 (January 1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987)
Exports [time series]
$NA commodities: copra partners: Australia
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$NA
Fiscal year [time series]
1 July - 30 June
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Imports [time series]
$NA commodities: foodstuffs partners: Australia
Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]
growth rate NA%
Industries [time series]
copra products
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.
Geography
Climate [time series]
pleasant, modified by the southeasttrade wind for about nine months of the year; moderate rain fall
Coastline [time series]
2.6 km
Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]
about 24 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]
none
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
Area (Land area) [time series]
14 km2; main islands are West Island and Home Island
Land boundaries [time series]
none
Land use [time series]
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Maritime claims [time series]
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources [time series]
fish
located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
Terrain [time series]
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Area (Total area) [time series]
14 km2
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Capital [time series]
West Island
Constitution [time series]
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Executive branch (Elections) [time series]
NA
Executive branch [time series]
British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, chairman of the Islands Council
the flag of Australia is used
Independence [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court
Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Administrator B. CUNNINGHAM (since NA); Chairman of the Islands Council Haji Wahin bin BYNIE (since NA)
Legal system [time series]
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Islands Council
Country name (Long-form name) [time series]
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
International organization participation (Member of) [time series]
none
National holiday [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
NA
Government type (Type) [time series]
territory of Australia
People
Birth rate [time series]
NA births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate [time series]
NA deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays on Home Island
Infant mortality rate [time series]
NA deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force [time series]
NA
Languages [time series]
English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
NA years male, NA years female (1992)
Literacy [time series]
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality [time series]
noun - Cocos Islander(s); adjective - Cocos Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
NA migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor [time series]
none
Population [time series]
597 (July 1992), growth rate - 0.5% (1992)
Religions [time series]
almost all Sunni Muslims
Total fertility rate [time series]
NA children born/woman (1992)