Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
non-self-governing overseas territory of AustraliaIndependence none (territory of Australia)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 61 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
Published as “Cocos (Keeling) Islands” (1990–1991), “Cocos Islands” (1992), “Cocos (Keeling) Islands” (1993–1994), “Cocos (keeling) Islands” (1995) and “Cocos (Keeling) Islands” (1996–2025).
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
British sea captain William KEELING discovered the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1609, and they were named for their coconut trees in 1622. Some maps began referring to them as the Keeling Islands in 1703. In 1825, Scottish trader John CLUNIES-ROSS was trying to get to Christmas Island but was blown off course and landed on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The next year, a British trader hired CLUNIES-ROSS's brother to bring slaves and a harem of Malay women to create the first permanent settlement on the island. By the 1830s, the Clunies-Ross family had firmly established themselves as the leaders of the islands, and they ruled Cocos (Keeling) Islands in a feudal style until 1978.
The UK annexed the islands in 1857 and administered them from Ceylon after 1878 and from Singapore after 1886. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands hosted a cable relaying station and was attacked by the Germans in World War I. The Japanese similarly attacked the islands in World War II. The UK transferred the islands to Australia in 1955, when they were officially named the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in 1978, Australia bought all the land held by the Clunies-Ross family, ending their control of the islands. In a referendum in 1984, most islanders voted to integrate with Australia, and Western Australian laws have applied on the islands since 1992.
Geography
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
17 fieldsLand useshare of 14 sq km
Location
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
Climate
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Geography - note
there are 27 coral islands in the group; apart from North Keeling Island, which lies 30 km north of the main group, the islands form a horseshoe-shaped atoll around a lagoon
People and Society
9 fieldsReligions(2016 est.)
Languages
Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.); major-language sample(s): Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Environment
3 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Climate
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year
Government
Non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia; King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023)
19 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- conventional short form:
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- etymology:
- the name refers to the abundant coconut trees on the islands and to English Captain William KEELING, the first European to sight the islands in 1609
Dependency status
non-self-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development
Capital
- 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)
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia General Sam MOSTYN (since 1 July 2024)
- head of government:
- Administrator Farzian ZAINAL (since 11 May 2023)
- cabinet:
- NA
- election/appointment process:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Australian prime minister;
- administrator appointed by the governor-general for a 2-year term and represents the monarch and Australia
Legislative branch
- legislature name:
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
- legislative structure:
- unicameral
- number of seats:
- 7 (directly elected)
- electoral system:
- plurality/majority
- scope of elections:
- partial renewal
- term in office:
- 4 years
- most recent election date:
- 10/21/2023
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 16.7%
- expected date of next election:
- October 2025
Judicial branch
highest court(s): under the terms of the Territorial Law Reform Act 1992, Western Australia provides court services as needed for the island including the Supreme Court and subordinate courts (District Court, Magistrate Court, Family Court, Children's Court, and Coroners' Court)
National holiday
Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Advance Australia Fair"
- lyrics/music:
- Peter Dodds McCORMICK
- history:
- national anthem, as an Australian territory; _____
- title:
- "God Save the King"
- lyrics/music:
- unknown
- history:
- royal anthem, as an Australian territory
Economy
7 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Exports - commodities
ships (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000
Imports - commodities
iron structures, special purpose motor vehicles, cars, ships, aluminum structures (2023)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.515 (2024 est.) · 1.505 (2023 est.) · 1.442 (2022 est.) · 1.331 (2021 est.) · 1.453 (2020 est.)
Communications
3 fieldsBroadcast media
1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; satellite broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations available (2017)
Transportation
1 fieldMilitary and Security
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Cocos (Keeling) Islands.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cocos-keeling-islands.