Cocos (Keeling) Islands

   Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   ------------------------------------
                            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.
  
   Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   ---------------------------------
                              Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands
                                        in the Indian Ocean, south of
                                        Indonesia, about halfway from
                                        Australia to Sri Lanka
                Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E
                        Map references: Southeast Asia
                                  Area: total: 14 sq km
                                        note: includes the two main islands
                                        of West Island and Home Island
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 14 sq km
                    Area - comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall
                                        in Washington, DC
                       Land boundaries: 0 km
                             Coastline: 26 km
                       Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
                                        territorial sea: 12 NM
                               Climate: tropical with high humidity,
                                        moderated by the southeast trade
                                        winds for about nine months of the
                                        year
                               Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
                                        highest point: unnamed location 5 m
                     Natural resources: fish
                              Land use: arable land: 0%
                                        permanent crops: 0%
                                        other: 100% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: NA sq km
                       Natural hazards: cyclone season is October to April
          Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to
                                        rainwater accumulations in natural
                                        underground reservoirs
                      Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with
                                        coconut palms and other vegetation
  
   People Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   ------------------------------
                              Population: 632 (July 2002 est.)
                           Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%
                                          15-64 years: NA%
                                          65 years and over: NA%
                  Population growth rate: -0.22% (2002 est.)
                              Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
                              Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
                      Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
                   Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
                Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years
                                          male: NA years
                                          female: NA years
                    Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
        HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
       HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                    AIDS:
                       HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                             Nationality: noun: Cocos Islander(s)
                                          adjective: Cocos Islander
                           Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays
                               Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002
                                          est.)
                               Languages: Malay (Cocos dialect), English
  
   Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   ----------------------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Territory of
                                        Cocos (Keeling) Islands
                                        conventional short form: Cocos
                                        (Keeling) Islands
                     Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered
                                        from Canberra by the Australian
                                        Department of Transport and Regional
                                        Services
                       Government type: NA
                               Capital: West Island
              Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
                          Independence: none (territory of Australia)
                      National holiday: NA
                          Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
                          Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and
                                        local laws
                              Suffrage: NA
                      Executive branch: 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) William Leonard TAYLOR
                                        (since 4 February 1999)
                                        cabinet: NA
                    Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands
                                        Shire Council (7 seats)
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
         Political parties and leaders: none
          Political pressure groups and none
                               leaders:
             International organization none
                         participation:
   Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
     Diplomatic representation from the none (territory of Australia)
                                    US:
                      Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
  
   Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   -------------------------------
                    Economy - overview: 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.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
                GDP - real growth rate: NA%
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
                                        industry: NA%
                                        services: NA%
         Population below poverty line: NA%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
                           Labor force: NA
           Labor force - by occupation: the Cocos Islands Cooperative
                                        Society Ltd. employs construction
                                        workers, stevedores, and lighterage
                                        workers; tourism employs others
                     Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)
                                Budget: revenues: $NA
                                        expenditures: $NA, including capital
                                        expenditures of $NA
                            Industries: copra products and tourism
     Industrial production growth rate: NA%
              Electricity - production: NA kWh
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA%
                                        hydro: NA%
                                        other: NA%
                                        nuclear: NA%
             Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
                Agriculture - products: vegetables, bananas, pawpaws,
                                        coconuts
                               Exports: $NA
                 Exports - commodities: copra
                    Exports - partners: Australia
                               Imports: $NA
                 Imports - commodities: foodstuffs
                    Imports - partners: Australia
                       Debt - external: $NA
              Economic aid - recipient: $NA
                              Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
                         Currency code: AUD
                        Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar -
                                        1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320
                                        (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497
                                        (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
                           Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
  
   Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   --------------------------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 287 (1992)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
                      Telephone system: general assessment: connected within
                                        Australia's telecommunication system
  
                                        domestic: NA
                                        international: telephone, telex, and
                                        facsimile communications with
                                        Australia and elsewhere via
                                        satellite; 1 satellite earth station
                                        of NA type (2002)
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
                                Radios: 300 (1992)
         Television broadcast stations: NA
                           Televisions: NA
                 Internet country code: .cc
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
                        Internet users: NA
  
   Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   --------------------------------------
                                       Railways: 0 km
                                       Highways: total: 15 km (2001)
                                                 paved: NA km
                                                 unpaved: NA km
                                      Waterways: none
                              Ports and harbors: none; lagoon anchorage only
                                Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
                                       Airports: 1 (2001)
                  Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
                                                 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
  
   Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   --------------------------------
                       Military - note: defense is the responsibility of
                                        Australia; the territory does have a
                                        five-person police force
  
   Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands
   --------------------------------------------
                                              Disputes - international: none