Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands⌘K
Overview
- Background
- British sea captain William KEELING discovered the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1609, and they were named for their coconut trees in 1622. Some maps began referring to them as the Keeling Islands in 1703. In 1825, Scottish trader John CLUNIES-ROSS was trying to get to Christmas Island but was blown off course and landed on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The next year, a British trader hired CLUNIES-ROSS's brother to bring slaves and a harem of Malay women to create the first permanent settlement on the island. By the 1830s, the Clunies-Ross family had firmly established themselves as the leaders of the islands, and they ruled Cocos (Keeling) Islands in a feudal style until 1978.
The UK annexed the islands in 1857 and administered them from Ceylon after 1878 and from Singapore after 1886. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands hosted a cable relaying station and was attacked by the Germans in World War I. The Japanese similarly attacked the islands in World War II. The UK transferred the islands to Australia in 1955, when they were officially named the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in 1978, Australia bought all the land held by the Clunies-Ross family, ending their control of the islands. In a referendum in 1984, most islanders voted to integrate with Australia, and Western Australian laws have applied on the islands since 1992.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 14 sq km
- Note
- note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 14 sq km
- Climate
- tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
- Terrain
- flat, low-lying coral atolls
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Forest
- 0% (2018 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2018 est.)
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
- Coastline
- 26 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- South Point on South Island 9 m
- Irrigated land
- NA
- Map references
- Southeast Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive fishing zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- cyclone season is October to April
- Geography note
- there are 27 coral islands in the group; apart from North Keeling Island, which lies 30 km north of the main group, the islands form a horseshoe-shaped atoll around a lagoon
- Natural resources
- fish
- Area comparative
- about 24 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 12 30 S, 96 50 E
- Population distribution
- only Home Island and West Island are populated
People & Society
Languages
- Languages
- Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.)
- Major language sample(s)
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)
- Death rate
- 8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Median Age
- Total
- 40 years (2021 est.)
Population
- Male
- 301
- Total
- 593 (2021 est.)
- Female
- 292
Nationality
- Noun
- Cocos Islander(s)
- Adjective
- Cocos Islander
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 21.2%
- 15 64 years
- 61.5%
- 65 years and over
- 17.3% (2021)
- Ethnic groups
- Europeans, Cocos Malays
- Population distribution
- only Home Island and West Island are populated
Government
- Flag
- the flag of Australia is used
Capital
- Name
- West Island
- Time difference
- UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 12 10 S, 96 50 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age
- Citizenship
- see Australia
Constitution
- History
- 23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955)
Country Name
- Etymology
- the name refers to the abundant coconut trees on the islands and to English Captain William KEELING, the first European to sight the islands in 1609
- Conventional long form
- Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Conventional short form
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Independence
- none (territory of Australia)
- Legal system
- common law based on the Australian model
- Government type
- non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- under the terms of the Territorial Law Reform Act 1992, Western Australia provides court services as needed for the island including the Supreme Court and subordinate courts (District Court, Magistrate Court, Family Court, Children's Court, and Coroners' Court)
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- NA
- Chief of state
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sam MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024)
- Head of government
- Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023)
- Election/appointment process
- the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister; administrator appointed by the governor-general for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia
- National holiday
- Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)
- Dependency status
- non-self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development
- Political parties
- none
Legislative Branch
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 7 (directly elected)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Legislature name
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
- Scope of elections
- partial renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 10/21/2023
- Expected date of next election
- October 2025
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 16.7%
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "God Save the King"
- History
- royal anthem, as an Australian territory
- Lyrics/music
- unknown
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (territory of Australia)
- International organisations
- none
Economy
- Industries
- copra products, tourism
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 1.453 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 1.331 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 1.442 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 1.505 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 1.515 (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 31%, Singapore 29%, UK 12%, Australia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023)
- Imports partners
- Australia 87%, USA 3%, Philippines 2%, Sweden 2%, Brazil 1% (2023)
- Agricultural products
- vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
- Exports commodities
- ships (2023)
- Imports commodities
- iron structures, special purpose motor vehicles, cars, ships, aluminum structures (2023)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 13.4% (2021 est.)
- Broadcast media
- 1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017)
- Internet country code
- .cc
Transport
- Airports
- 1 (2025)
Environment
- Climate
- tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Forest
- 0% (2018 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2018 est.)
- Environmental issues
- limited freshwater resources; illegal fishing
Military & Security
- Military note
- defense is the responsibility of Australia
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Cocos (Keeling) Islands — vintage 2026-Q1: Cocos (Keeling) Islands factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/cocos-keeling-islands
Sources: CIA World Factbook