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Background:
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T here
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:
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Southeastern
Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of
Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total: 14
sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and
Home Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 14 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 24 times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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26 km |
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Climate:
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tropical with
high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for
about nine months of the year |
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Terrain:
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flat, low-lying
coral atolls |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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cyclone season is
October to April |
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Environment - current issues:
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fresh water
resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural
underground reservoirs |
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Geography - note:
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islands are
thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
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Population:
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629 (July 2004
est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
|
NA births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
|
NA deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
|
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2004 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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Europeans, Cocos
Malays |
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim
80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
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Languages:
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Malay (Cocos
dialect), English |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
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Dependency status:
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territory of
Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian
Department of Transport and Regional Services |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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West Island |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (territory
of Australia) |
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Independence:
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none (territory
of Australia) |
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National holiday:
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Australia Day, 26
January (1788) |
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Constitution:
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Cocos (Keeling)
Islands Act of 1955 |
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Legal system:
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based upon the
laws of Australia and local laws |
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Executive branch:
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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) Evan
WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003)
cabinet: NA |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Cocos
(Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members
standing for election; last held NA |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court;
Magistrate's Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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none |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territory
of Australia) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territory
of Australia) |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $NA |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
NA% |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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the Cocos Islands
Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers,
stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
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Unemployment rate:
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60% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of
$NA |
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Industries:
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copra products
and tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA% |
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Electricity - production:
|
NA kWh |
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Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
NA%
hydro: NA%
other: NA%
nuclear: NA% |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
NA kWh |
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Agriculture - products:
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vegetables,
bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
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Exports:
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$NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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copra |
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Exports - partners:
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Australia |
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Imports:
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$NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Australia |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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Australian dollar
(AUD) |
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Currency code:
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AUD |
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Exchange rates:
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Australian
dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320
(2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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287 (1992) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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note - analog
cellular service available |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61(08); telephone, telex,
and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via
satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 2,
shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.cc |
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 15
km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (2003) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; lagoon
anchorage only |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a
five-person police force |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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