COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS                                                         
(territory of Australia)                                                        
GEOGRAPHY                                                                       
Total area: 14 km2; land area: 14 km2; main islands are West Island             
and Home Island                                                                 
                                                                                
Comparative area: about 24 times the size of The Mall in                        
Washington, DC                                                                  
                                                                                
Land boundaries: none                                                           
                                                                                
Coastline: 42.6 km                                                              
                                                                                
Maritime claims:                                                                
                                                                                
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;                                                 
                                                                                
Territorial sea: 3 nm                                                           
                                                                                
Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about              
nine months of the year; moderate rainfall                                      
                                                                                
Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls                                           
                                                                                
Natural resources: fish                                                         
                                                                                
Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures              
0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%                                          
                                                                                
Environment: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms                
and other vegetation                                                            
                                                                                
Note: located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the                  
Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka                      
                                                                                
PEOPLE                                                                          
Population: 684 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)                           
                                                                                
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)                                   
                                                                                
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)                                   
                                                                                
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)                         
                                                                                
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)                       
                                                                                
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)                 
                                                                                
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)                             
                                                                                
Nationality: noun--Cocos Islander(s); adjective--Cocos Islander(s)              
                                                                                
Ethnic divisions: mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays              
on Home Island                                                                  
                                                                                
Religion: almost all Sunni Muslims                                              
                                                                                
Language: English                                                               
                                                                                
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)                                            
                                                                                
Labor force: NA                                                                 
                                                                                
Organized labor: none                                                           
                                                                                
GOVERNMENT                                                                      
Long-form name: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands                            
                                                                                
Type: territory of Australia                                                    
                                                                                
Capital: West Island                                                            
                                                                                
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)                         
                                                                                
Independence: none (territory of Australia)                                     
                                                                                
Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955                               
                                                                                
Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws                   
                                                                                
National holiday: NA                                                            
                                                                                
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia,               
administrator, chairman of the Islands Council                                  
                                                                                
Legislative branch: unicameral Islands Council                                  
                                                                                
Judicial branch: Supreme Court                                                  
                                                                                
Leaders:                                                                        
                                                                                
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);                     
                                                                                
Head of Government--Administrator D. LAWRIE (since NA 1989);                    
Chairman of the Islands Council Parson Bin YAPAT (since NA)                     
                                                                                
Suffrage: NA                                                                    
                                                                                
Elections: NA                                                                   
                                                                                
Member of: none                                                                 
                                                                                
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)                        
                                                                                
Flag: the flag of Australia is used                                             
                                                                                
ECONOMY                                                                         
Overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash              
crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local        
gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food          
and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.                     
                                                                                
GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%                                  
                                                                                
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%                                           
                                                                                
Unemployment: NA                                                                
                                                                                
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital                       
expenditures of $NA                                                             
                                                                                
Exports: $NA;                                                                   
                                                                                
commodities--copra;                                                             
                                                                                
partners--Australia                                                             
                                                                                
Imports: $NA;                                                                   
                                                                                
commodities--foodstuffs;                                                        
                                                                                
partners--Australia                                                             
                                                                                
External debt: $NA                                                              
                                                                                
Industrial production: growth rate NA%                                          
                                                                                
Electricity: 1,000 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, 2,980 kWh               
per capita (1990)                                                               
                                                                                
Industries: copra products                                                      
                                                                                
Agriculture: gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts             
                                                                                
Economic aid: none                                                              
                                                                                
Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar              
($A) = 100 cents                                                                
                                                                                
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January               
1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905       
(1986), 1.4269 (1985)                                                           
                                                                                
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June                                                     
                                                                                
COMMUNICATIONS                                                                  
Ports: none; lagoon anchorage only                                              
                                                                                
Airports: 1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 1,220-2,439 m;              
airport on West Island is a link in service between Australia and South         
Africa                                                                          
                                                                                
Telecommunications: 250 radios (1985); linked by telephone,                     
telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia;               
stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV                                                    
                                                                                
DEFENSE FORCES                                                                  
Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia                                
                                                                                
