Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | - |
Airports | 1 (2006) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
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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: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about eight times the size of The Mall in 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. | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. |
Birth rate | NA | - |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
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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) |
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Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | tropical |
Coastline | 26 km | 74.1 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | - |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | 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 | Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to these islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
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. | no economic activity |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | NA |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | - |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | - |
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 |
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Exports | $NA | - |
Exports - commodities | copra | - |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | - |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | the flag of Australia is used |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 12 14 S, 123 05 E |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 |
Imports | $NA | - |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | - |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | - |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | - |
Industries | copra products and tourism | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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International organization participation | none | - |
Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | - |
Labor force | NA | - |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | - |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply |
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) |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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Literacy | NA | - |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | - |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
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Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards |
Natural resources | fish | fish |
Net migration rate | NA | - |
People - note | - | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem |
Political parties and leaders | none | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | - |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | - |
Suffrage | NA | - |
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 |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 287 (1992) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | - |
Television broadcast stations | NA | - |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | low with sand and coral |
Total fertility rate | NA | - |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | - |