Cocos Islands Location:
The islands are located in the Indian Ocean, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka, at 12°07'S, 96°54'E.
Cocos Islands Geography:
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands consist of two flat, low-lying coral atolls with an area of 14.2 km2 (5.4 sq. mi), 2.6 km (1.6 mi) of coastline, a highest elevation of 5 m (16 ft) and thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation. The climate is pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year and with moderate rainfall. Cyclones may occur in the early months of the year.
North Keeling Island is an atoll consisting of just one C-shaped island, a nearly closed atoll ring with a small opening into the lagoon, about 50 m (165 ft) wide, on the East side. The island measures 1.1 km2 (272 acres) in land area and is uninhabited. The lagoon is about 0.5 km2 (124 acres). North Keeling Island and the surrounding sea to 1.5 km from shore form the Pulu Keeling National Park, established on 12 December 1995.
South Keeling Islands is an atoll consisting of twenty-six individual islets forming an incomplete atoll ring, with a total land area of 13.1 km2 (5.1 sq mi). Only Home Island and West Island are populated. People from Home Island maintain weekend shacks on the lagoon shore of South Island and on some of the smaller islands.
Cocos Islands People:
Population
- 2004 estimate 628 (n/a)
- Density n/a /km2 (n/a)
n/a /sq mi
Cocos Islands Government:
Government Federal constitutional monarchy
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Administrator Neil Lucas
The capital of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands is West Island while the largest settlement is the village of Bantam (Home Island). Governance of the islands is based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955 [2] [3] and depends heavily on the laws of Australia. The islands are administered from Canberra by the Department of Transport and Regional Services, through a non-resident Administrator appointed by the Governor-General. The current Administrator is Neil Lucas PSM , who was appointed on 30 January 2006 and is also the Administrator of Christmas Island. These two Territories comprise Australia's Indian Ocean Territories. There also exists a unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council with seven seats. A full term lasts four years, though elections are held every two years; approximately half the members retire each two years. Federally, Cocos (Keeling) Islanders form the electorate of Lingiari with Christmas Island and outback Northern Territory.
The islands have a five-person police force but their defence remains the responsibility of Australia.
Cocos Islands Economy:
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. There is a small but growing tourist industry.
The Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage worker operations. Tourism employs others. The unemployment rate was estimated at 60% in 2000.[1]
The islands are connected within Australia's telecommunication system (with number range +61 8 9162 xxxx) and postal system (post code: 6799). There is one paved airport (on the West Island to which National Jet Systems operate scheduled jet services from Perth, Western Australia) and a lagoon anchorage.
Cocos Islands More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocos_Islands | 
