Cocos (Keeling) Islands

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.<br><br>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.

Land

14 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Total

14 sq km

Water

0 sq km

about 24 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

26 km

Oceania

Highest point

South Point on South Island 9 m

Lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

12 30 S, 96 50 E

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

NA

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

0% (2018 est.)

Forest

0% (2018 est.)

Other

100% (2018 est.)

No

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/nrGZrvWRGB4WHgDC9

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2184233

Southeast Asia

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

cyclone season is October to April

fish

only Home Island and West Island are populated

Polynesia

flat, low-lying coral atolls

UTC-10:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

21.2%

15-64 years

61.5%

65 years and over

17.3% (2021)

8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Europeans, Cocos Malays

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)

<br>Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

2

Total

40 years (2021 est.)

Adjective

Cocos Islander

Noun

Cocos Islander(s)

Female

292

Male

301

Total

593 (2021 est.)

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)

Geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 96 50 E

Name

West Island

Time difference

UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

see Australia

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ck.svg

History

23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955)

alternative spellings

CK, Kūki 'Āirani

Conventional long form

Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Conventional short form

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

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

FIFA code

COK

local long form (eng)

Cook Islands

non-self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities &amp; Regional Development

Embassy

none (territory of Australia)

none (territory of Australia)

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)

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

Head of government

Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023)

the flag of Australia is used

The flag of the Cook Islands is blue with the UK flag in the canton and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars centered in the fly.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ck.svg

non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia

none (territory of Australia)

none

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)

common law based on the Australian model

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

October 2025

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council

Most recent election date

10/21/2023

Number of seats

7 (directly elected)

Percentage of women in chamber

16.7%

Scope of elections

partial renewal

Term in office

4 years

Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)

none

Monday

18 years of age

No

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

code

CKD, NZD

name

Cook Islands dollar (CKD) [$], New Zealand dollar (NZD) [$]

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.)

ships (2023)

note

<strong>note:</strong> top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

USA 31%, Singapore 29%, UK 12%, Australia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

iron structures, special purpose motor vehicles, cars, ships, aluminum structures (2023)

Australia 87%, USA 3%, Philippines 2%, Sweden 2%, Brazil 1% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

copra products, tourism

1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017)

.cc

Percent of population

13.4% (2021 est.)

+682

1 (2025)

Left

NZ

defense is the responsibility of Australia

limited freshwater resources; illegal fishing