Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Airports

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

Ports

none; lagoon anchorage only

Telecommunications

250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

Note

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Agriculture

gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Economic aid

none

Electricity

1,000 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, 2,980 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates

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

$NA commodities: copra partners: Australia

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%

Imports

$NA commodities: foodstuffs partners: Australia

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

copra products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Overview

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.

Climate

pleasant, modified by the southeasttrade wind for about nine months of the year; moderate rain fall

Coastline

2.6 km

Comparative area

about 24 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC

Disputes

none

Environment

two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

Land area

14 km2; main islands are West Island and Home Island

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

Maritime claims

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

fish

Note

located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka

Terrain

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Total area

14 km2

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Capital

West Island

Constitution

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Diplomatic representation

none (territory of Australia)

Elections

NA

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, chairman of the Islands Council

Flag

the flag of Australia is used

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

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

based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Legislative branch

unicameral Islands Council

Long-form name

Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Member of

none

National holiday

NA

Suffrage

NA

Type

territory of Australia

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic divisions

mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays on Home Island

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force

NA

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

NA years male, NA years female (1992)

Literacy

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Nationality

noun - Cocos Islander(s); adjective - Cocos Islander

Net migration rate

NA migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor

none

Population

597 (July 1992), growth rate - 0.5% (1992)

Religions

almost all Sunni Muslims

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (1992)