Cocos (Keeling) Islands
At only 14 km², Cocos (Keeling) Islands is remarkably compact. Smaller than many cities, this territory packs a lot into a tiny footprint. There's more here than meets the eye.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands is a country in Oceania with a population of 593 and an area of 14 km².
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Internet Users (%)
13.4%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Lowest Elevation
0Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Median Age
40.0 yearsMedian age from CIA World Factbook.
Land Boundaries Length
0Total land boundary length from CIA World Factbook.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🌍Lowest Elevation
0Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
👥Median Age
40.0 yearsMedian age from CIA World Factbook.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #233 in population
Population: 593
The total number of people living in the country.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #227 in internet users (%)
Internet Users (%): 13.4%
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #231 in highest elevation
Highest Elevation: 9.00
Highest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #214 in airports
Airports: 1.00
Total airports from CIA World Factbook.
Surprised? See how you stack up.
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Country vs continent vs world averages
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
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Test Your IntuitionAbout Cocos (Keeling) Islands
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.
- 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
- Terrain
- flat, low-lying coral atolls
- Natural Resources
- fish
- Natural Hazards
- cyclone season is October to April
- Size Comparison
- about 24 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Languages
- Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.)
- Religions
- Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Europeans, Cocos Malays
- Government Type
- non-self-governing overseas territory of Australia
- Capital
- West Island
- Capital Coordinates
- 12 10 S, 96 50 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Name Origin
- 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
- Independence
- none (territory of Australia)
- National Anthem
- "God Save the King"
- Industries
- copra products, tourism
- Agricultural Products
- vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
- Export Partners
- USA 31%, Singapore 29%, UK 12%, Australia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- ships (2023)
- Import Partners
- Australia 87%, USA 3%, Philippines 2%, Sweden 2%, Brazil 1% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- iron structures, special purpose motor vehicles, cars, ships, aluminum structures (2023)
Deep Dive
9 of 9 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Christmas Island
Australia
Palau
Heard Island and McDonald IslandsCompare Cocos (Keeling) Islands with...
More Oceania Countries
American Samoa
Cook Islands
Fiji
French PolynesiaShare a Fact
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The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands has a population of 593, ranking #233 globally by population.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands is located in Oceania. It has an area of 14 km².
Cocos (Keeling) Islands ranks particularly high in Internet Users (%) (#227), Population (#233), Lowest Elevation (#62).
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