Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Cook Islands (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 7 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (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:
240 sq km land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | 1.3 times 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. | Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. |
Birth rate | NA | - |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues:
$25 million expenditures: $23 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00) |
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) |
Avarua |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | tropical; moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 26 km | 120 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 4 August 1965 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
Currency | - | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | - |
Debt - external | - | $141 million (1996 est.) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part |
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. | Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 19.5 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 21 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996) |
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 Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime minister |
Exports | $NA | $3 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | copra | copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | Japan 42%, New Zealand 25%, US 9%, Australia 9% (1999) |
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 a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $100 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
18% industry: 9% services: 73% (1995) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 21 14 S, 159 46 W |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | - |
Highways | - | total:
320 km (1992) paved: NA unpaved: NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | $85 million (c.i.f., 1994) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | NZ 70%, Australia 8% (1999) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | copra products and tourism | fruit processing, tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.6% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | High Court |
Labor force | NA | 6,601 (1993) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% (1995) note - shortage of skilled labor |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land:
9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 78% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | English (official), Maori |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on New Zealand law and 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 Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held NA June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1 note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
Literacy | NA | definition:
NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun:
Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | typhoons (November to March) |
Natural resources | fish | NEGL |
Net migration rate | NA | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Tai CARPENTER]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | 20,611 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | - | Avarua, Avatiu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 14,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church) |
Suffrage | NA | NA years of age; universal adult |
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: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 287 (1992) | 5,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
Total fertility rate | NA | - |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |