Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2001) | Christmas Island (2004) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | NA |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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 |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The islands were discovered in 1609, but 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 is split between the mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | West Island | The Settlement |
Climate | pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 2.6 km | 80 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 | NA |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | NA |
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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in mid-2004 |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | NA |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (non-resident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | copra | phosphate |
Exports - partners | Australia | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total:
15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2001) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Australia | principally Australia |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | copra products and tourism | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | NA |
International organization participation | none | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | NA | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | English, Malay | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (NA seats) | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | NA | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun:
Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | cyclones may occur in the early months of the year | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | fish | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | - | The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 633 (July 2001 est.) | 396 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | -0.21% (2001 est.) | -9% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; lagoon anchorage only | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 300 (1992) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.) | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | - | NA (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | NA | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA (1999) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | NA |
Waterways | none | - |