CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Cocos (Keeling) Islands


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!| 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.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island water: 0 sq km land: 14 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: unnamed location 5 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Geography - note:
 * Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka
 * 12 30 S, 96 50 E
 * Southeast Asia
 * total: 14 sq km
 * about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
 * 0 km
 * 26 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
 * flat, low-lying coral atolls
 * lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
 * fish
 * arable land: 0%
 * NA sq km
 * cyclone season is October to April
 * fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
 * islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Infant mortality rate: male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) !| Life expectancy at birth: male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Cocos Islander !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages:
 * 629 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: NA
 * 0.002% (2004 est.)
 * NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * total: NA
 * total population: NA years
 * NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * NA
 * NA
 * NA
 * noun: Cocos Islander(s)
 * Europeans, Cocos Malays
 * Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
 * Malay (Cocos dialect), English
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands !| Dependency status: !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: 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) Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: NA !| Legislative branch: elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held NA !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: !| Diplomatic representation from the US: !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
 * territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
 * NA
 * West Island
 * none (territory of Australia)
 * none (territory of Australia)
 * Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
 * Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
 * based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
 * NA
 * chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
 * unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
 * Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
 * none
 * none
 * none
 * none (territory of Australia)
 * none (territory of Australia)
 * the flag of Australia is used
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * 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.
 * purchasing power parity - NA
 * NA
 * purchasing power parity - NA
 * agriculture: NA
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * NA
 * NA
 * the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
 * 60% (2000 est.)
 * revenues: NA
 * vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
 * copra products and tourism
 * NA
 * NA kWh
 * NA kWh
 * NA
 * copra
 * Australia
 * NA
 * foodstuffs
 * Australia
 * NA
 * NA
 * Australian dollar (AUD)
 * AUD
 * Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)
 * 1 July - 30 June
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: NA international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 287 (1992)
 * note - analog cellular service available
 * general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
 * AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)
 * 300 (1992)
 * NA
 * NA
 * .cc
 * 2 (2000)
 * NA
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!| Highways: paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) !| Ports and harbors: !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
 * total: 15 km
 * none; lagoon anchorage only
 * 1 (2003 est.)
 * total: 1
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!| Military - note:
 * defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force
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