NAVIGATION
|
HOME
• FLAG FINDER
• MAP FINDER
• SOURCES
• ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS! COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z |
NAVIGATION
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
INTRODUCTION
|
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. |
GEOGRAPHY
|
Location:
|
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
12 30 S, 96 50 E |
|
Map references:
|
Southeast Asia |
|
Area:
|
total: 14 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island water: 0 sq km land: 14 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
26 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
|
Climate:
|
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
|
Terrain:
|
flat, low-lying coral atolls |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
fish |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
Natural hazards:
|
cyclone season is October to April |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
|
Geography - note:
|
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
PEOPLE
|
Population:
|
632 (July 2002 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
|
Population growth rate:
|
-0.22% (2002 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
NA births/1,000 population |
|
Death rate:
|
NA deaths/1,000 population |
|
Net migration rate:
|
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
NA children born/woman |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Europeans, Cocos Malays |
|
Religions:
|
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
|
Languages:
|
Malay (Cocos dialect), English |