Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2004) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008) | |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
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. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | West Island | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | NA | - |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $NA |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | NA | $NA |
Exports - partners | Australia | Australia (2006) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | - |
Highways | total: 15 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
- |
Imports | NA | $NA |
Imports - partners | Australia | Australia (2006) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Legislative branch | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held NA |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | - | NA |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | NA |
Population | 629 (July 2004 est.) | 596 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | - |
Population growth rate | 0.002% (2004 est.) | 0% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; lagoon anchorage only | - |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | - |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) | NA |