Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet country code

.cc

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Agriculture - products

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Budget

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

Currency

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code

AUD

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%

Exchange rates

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

copra

Exports - partners

Australia (1999)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Australia (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra products and tourism

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

60% (2000 est.)

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

Climate

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Coastline

26 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Environment - current issues

fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geographic coordinates

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Geography - note

islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

cyclone season is October to April

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Administrative divisions

none (territory of Australia)

Capital

West Island

Constitution

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

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

Flag description

the flag of Australia is used

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of Australia)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Legal system

based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Legislative branch

unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)

National holiday

NA

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

NA

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.

Military - note

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

Age structure

0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Europeans, Cocos Malays

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Languages

Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

630 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0% (2003 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Highways

total: 15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003)

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; lagoon anchorage only

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none