ARCHIVE // CC // 2022

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

2022 Edition — territory

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017)
Internet country code [time series]
.cc
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: telephone service is part of the Australian network; an operational local mobile-cellular network available; wireless Internet connectivity available domestic: local area code - 08 international: international code - 61 8; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Budget [time series]
revenues: NA expenditures: NA
Economic overview [time series]
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 [time series]
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.311 (2017 est.) 1.3442 (2016 est.) 1.3442 (2015) 1.3291 (2014) 1.1094 (2013)
Exports - commodities [time series]
computers, packaged medicines, precious metal watches, office machinery/parts, chemical analysis instruments (2019)
Exports - partners [time series]
United States 57%, Ireland 15% (2019)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 July - 30 June
Imports [time series]
NA
Imports - commodities [time series]
gold, x-ray equipment, cars, prefabricated buildings, packaged medicines (2019)
Imports - partners [time series]
Australia 73%, United Arab Emirates 15%, Netherlands 5% (2019)
Industries [time series]
copra products, tourism
Labor force [time series]
NA
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
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) [time series]
NA
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
1% (2003)
Unemployment rate [time series]
0.1% (2011) 60% (2000 est.)
Environment
Climate [time series]
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Environment - current issues [time series]
freshwater resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs; illegal fishing a concern
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
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 - comparative [time series]
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Coastline [time series]
26 km
Elevation [time series]
highest point: South Point on South Island 9 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Geographic coordinates [time series]
12 30 S, 96 50 E
Geography - note [time series]
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 vegetation note 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 [time series]
NA
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 0 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)
Location [time series]
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
Map references [time series]
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
cyclone season is October to April
Natural resources [time series]
fish
Population distribution [time series]
only Home Island and West Island are populated
Terrain [time series]
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Capital [time series]
name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship [time series]
see Australia
Constitution [time series]
history: 23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955) amendments: amended many times, last in 2020
Country name [time series]
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 [time series]
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities Regional Development
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
embassy: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia General David HURLEY (since 1 July 2019) head of government: Acting Administrator Sarah VANDENBROEK (since 4 October 2022) cabinet: NA 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
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of Australia is used
Government type [time series]
non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia
Independence [time series]
none (territory of Australia)
International organization participation [time series]
none
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): 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 [time series]
common law based on the Australian model
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms with 4 members renewed every 2 years) elections: last held on 16 October 2021 (next to be held in October 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 4, women 3, percent of women 42.9%
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
note: as a territory of Australia, "Advance Australia Fair" remains official as the national anthem, while "God Save the King" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
National holiday [time series]
Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
none
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of Australia
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: NA 15-24 years: NA 25-54 years: NA 55-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate [time series]
NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
NA
Current health expenditure [time series]
NA
Death rate [time series]
8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: NA youth dependency ratio: NA elderly dependency ratio: NA potential support ratio: NA
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: NA unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: NA
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
Europeans, Cocos Malays
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: NA male: NA female: NA
Languages [time series]
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 [time series]
total population: NA male: NA female: (2021 est.) NA
Nationality [time series]
noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
NA
Population [time series]
596 (July 2014 est.)
Population distribution [time series]
only Home Island and West Island are populated
Population growth rate [time series]
NA
Religions [time series]
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
NA
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 1 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Port Refuge
Roadways [time series]
total: 22 km (2007) paved: 10 km (2007) unpaved: 12 km (2007)