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The Transatlantic Education Mega-Site... We invite you to add ed-u.com to your list of favorites/bookmarks. Internet Explorer users please click here, and others, right click here -> ed-u.com. Also, you can learn how to make any ed-u.com page your start page by clicking here.   Web ed-u.com  Cocos (Keeling) Islands (territory of Australia) All other countries Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communication Transportation Military Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands Introduction Background: A possession of the UK since 1857, the islands were transferred to Australia in 1955. Geography Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island Area - comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2.6 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall 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% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: cyclones may occur in the early months of the year Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs Geography - note: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation People Population: 635 (July 2000 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: -0.21% (2000 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 Nationality: noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays Religions: Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.) Languages: English, Malay Government Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Data code: CK Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories 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 head of government: Administrator (acting) Maureen ELLIS (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (NA seats) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: none International organization participation: none Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used Economy Economy - overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. 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 percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% 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 worker operations; tourism employs others 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% nuclear: NA% other: NA% Electricity - consumption: NA kWh Electricity - exports: NA kWh Electricity - imports: 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: $NA Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January 2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Communications Telephones - main lines in use: NA Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1999) Telephone system: domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 300 (1992) Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997) Televisions: NA Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km Ports and harbors: none; lagoon anchorage only Merchant marine: none (1999 est.) Airports: 1 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.) Military Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries