Background: 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.

Area
Comparative: about 24 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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
Highest point: South Point on South Island 9 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)
Forest: 0% (2018 est.)
Other: 100% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: cyclone season is October to April

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

Population
Total: 593 (2021 est.)
Male: 301
Female: 292
Distribution: only Home Island and West Island are populated

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.

Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 75%, Anglican 3.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, none 12.9%, unspecified 6.3% (2016 est.)

Median age
Total: 40 years (2021 est.)

Death rate: 8.89 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: only Home Island and West Island are populated

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)

Legal system: common law based on the Australian model

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

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: royal anthem, as an Australian territory

Industries: copra products, tourism

Exports
Commodities: ships (2023)
Commodities 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)

Internet
Users percent of population: 13.4% (2021 est.)