Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
- |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | - |
Airports | 1 (2006) | none (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
- |
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: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 0.7 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. | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Birth rate | NA | - |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $209.6 million
expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
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) |
Vatican City |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 26 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
Currency | - | euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL) |
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 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | none |
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. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
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: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Italians, Swiss, other |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican started using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro |
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: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
Exports | $NA | - |
Exports - commodities | copra | - |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | none; all city streets |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | - |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | - |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century |
Industries | copra products and tourism | printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
International organization participation | none | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
Labor force | NA | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on canon law and revisions to it |
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 Pontifical Commission |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
- |
Literacy | NA | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
Military branches | - | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | NA |
Natural resources | fish | none |
Net migration rate | NA | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | 900 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | 1.15% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | - | total: 0.86 km
standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.) |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | Roman Catholic |
Suffrage | NA | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
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: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 287 (1992) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | NA |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (1996) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | low hill |
Total fertility rate | NA | - |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | - |
Waterways | - | none |