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

Internet users [time series]

total: 80 (2021 est.) percent of population: 13.4% (2021 est.)

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)

Agricultural products [time series]

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Exchange rates [time series]

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.505 (2023 est.) 1.442 (2022 est.) 1.331 (2021 est.) 1.453 (2020 est.) 1.439 (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

integrated circuits, vaccines and cultures, furniture, carbon batteries, rubber gloves (2021)

Exports - partners [time series]

US 45%, UK 12%, France 7%, Canada 6%, Poland 5% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia 75%, US 18%, Netherlands 2%, UK 2%, Turkey 1% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industries [time series]

copra products, tourism

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.)

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: 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

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

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: Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023) 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 21 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 6, women 1, percent of women 16.7%

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 [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age

Background [time series]

British sea captain William KEELING discovered the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1609, and they were named for their coconut trees in 1622. 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 CLUNIES-ROSS'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. The 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, when they were officially named the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in 1978, Australia bought all the land held by the Clunies-Ross family, ending their control of the islands. In a referendum in 1984, most islanders voted to integrate with Australia, and Western Australian laws have applied on the islands since 1992.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 21.2% 15-64 years: 61.5% 65 years and over: 17.3% (2021)

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups [time series]

Europeans, Cocos Malays

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.

Median age [time series]

total: 40 years (2021 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander

Population [time series]

total: 593 male: 301 female: 292 (2021 est.)

Population distribution [time series]

only Home Island and West Island are populated

Religions [time series]

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

Airports [time series]

1 (2024)

Roadways [time series]

total: 22 km paved: 10 km unpaved: 12 km (2007)