Cocos Is. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 
|
|
|
| Introduction | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| 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. |
| Geography | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
12 30 S, 96 50 E |
| Map
references: |
Southeast Asia |
| 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 |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
26 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
| Terrain: |
flat, low-lying coral atolls |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
| Natural
resources: |
fish |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
| Natural
hazards: |
cyclone season is October to April |
| Environment
- current issues: |
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
| Geography
- note: |
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
| People | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Population: |
632 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
-0.22% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000 population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Europeans, Cocos Malays |
| Religions: |
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
| Languages: |
Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
| Government | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| 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 |
| Government
type: |
NA |
| Capital: |
West Island |
| Administrative
divisions: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| Independence: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| National
holiday: |
NA |
| Constitution: |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 |
| Legal
system: |
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
| Suffrage: |
NA |
| 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 |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
none |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (territory of Australia) |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of Australia is used |
| Economy | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| 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. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| 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 |
| Unemployment
rate: |
60% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
| Industries: |
copra products and tourism |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
NA kWh |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
NA kWh |
| Agriculture
- products: |
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
| Exports: |
$NA |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copra |
| Exports
- partners: |
Australia |
| Imports: |
$NA |
| Imports
- commodities: |
foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
Australia |
| Debt
- external: |
$NA |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Australian dollar (AUD) |
| Currency
code: |
AUD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
| Communications | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
287 (1992) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| 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) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) |
| Radios: |
300 (1992) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
NA |
| Televisions: |
NA |
| Internet
country code: |
.cc |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
NA |
| Transportation | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 15 km (2001)
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; lagoon anchorage only |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
1 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 1 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
| Military | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force |
| Transnational Issues | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
Association for Human Rights Defense International
www.4humanrights.org : www.hrd1.org : DONATE
www.4humanrights.org : www.hrd1.org : DONATE
