Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Anguilla (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
0-14 years:
25.55% (male 1,574; female 1,526) 15-64 years: 67.47% (male 4,200; female 3,985) 65 years and over: 6.98% (male 376; female 471) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 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:
91 sq km land: 91 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about half the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. |
Birth rate | NA | 15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues:
$20.4 million expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.) |
Capital | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
The Valley |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 26 km | 61 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Anguilla |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $8.8 million (1998) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $3.5 million (1995) |
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. | Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September but recovered in 1996. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector. A comprehensive package of financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the industrialized nations as well as favorable weather conditions. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | - | 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:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | black |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTON (since NA February 2000) head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly |
Exports | $NA | $4.5 million (1998) |
Exports - commodities | copra | lobster, fish, livestock, salt |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | NA |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $96 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | - |
Highways | - | total:
279 km paved: 253 km unpaved: 26 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $NA | $57.6 million (1998) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | NA |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | NA |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 3.1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | copra products and tourism | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
24.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.5% (1998 est.) |
International organization participation | none | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Labor force | NA | 4,400 (1992) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | English (official) |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | 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) |
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UF 4, AUM 2, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population:
76.31 years male: 73.41 years female: 79.29 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition:
age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Anguilla Day, 30 May |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun:
Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Natural resources | fish | salt, fish, lobster |
Net migration rate | NA | 17.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | 12,132 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | 2.68% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 3,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | NA | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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 |
general assessment:
NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 287 (1992) | 5,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | NA |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | NA | 1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | 7% (1992 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |