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Background:
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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:
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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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Geographic coordinates:
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12 30 S,
96 50 E |
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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
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West
Island and Home Island |
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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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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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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% (2001) |
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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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People |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
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Population:
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628 (July
2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
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Population growth rate:
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0% (2005
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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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 (23 November 1953) |
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Legal system:
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based
upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
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Suffrage:
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NA |
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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
head of government: Administrator (nonresident)
Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003)
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
administrator appointed by the governor general of
Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
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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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Flag description:
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the flag
of Australia is used |
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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 (purchasing power parity):
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NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: 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 |
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Agriculture - products:
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vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
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Industries:
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copra
products and tourism |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA |
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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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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency (code):
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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 - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
(2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
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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 - 61-891; 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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Radios:
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300
(1992) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA |
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.cc |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000)
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Highways:
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total:
15 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Port
Refuge |
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Airports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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