Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian external territory of coral islands in the Indian Ocean. West Island is the administrative centre; Home Island is home to the Cocos Malay community.

Find Cocos (Keeling) Islands

● Administrative centre · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. These islands lie in the Indian Ocean and are grouped with Australia in the deck.

At a glance

Administrative centre: West Island
Language guide: Languages spoken & official status
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Population: 5932021 Census · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Area: 14 km²5.41 square miles
Australian territory: 1955Islanders voted for integration with Australia in 1984.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands in context

Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks West Island; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are low coral islands grouped into atolls in the Indian Ocean. Their land surfaces stand only a short distance above surrounding water. Reefs, lagoons and channels make up most of the wider geographic setting.

The southern atoll contains most settlement, while North Keeling is separate and more isolated. Sandy shores and coconut-covered land contrast with shallow lagoon water and the deeper ocean beyond the reef. There are no high mountains or large river systems.

Climate & seasons

The atolls are warm and humid. Southeast trade winds moderate temperatures for much of the year, with wetter and drier seasonal periods.

Atoll conditions

Fresh water is limited on small coral islands. Reef health, waves and currents influence coastlines and marine habitats. Low elevation makes storm conditions and changes in sea level especially significant.

Flag

A green field with a palm tree inside a gold disc near the upper hoist, a gold crescent at the centre and the Southern Cross in gold on the fly. This is the local Cocos (Keeling) Islands flag; the Australian flag is the national flag.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Landscapes & nature

Languages

Public and official use

English is used in administration, while Cocos Malay is central to the everyday life and heritage of the Cocos Malay community.

Community and regional languages

Language use differs between Home Island and West Island. Cocos Malay is a local Malay variety shaped by the islands’ settlement history.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & status

Malay workers and European settlers established a plantation community on the islands in the nineteenth century. Britain annexed the islands in 1857. They became an Australian territory in 1955, and a UN-observed act of self-determination in 1984 resulted in a vote for integration with Australia. Home Island retains a distinctive Cocos Malay culture.

1857
Britain annexes the islands
1955
Administration transfers to Australia
1984
Islanders vote for integration with Australia

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy

Main activities

Public services, transport, construction and small-scale tourism support the local economy. Coconut plantations were historically central, but copra production no longer defines the economy. Most consumer goods are imported, making freight costs and reliable links with mainland Australia important.

Industry and production

Government services, small-scale tourism, construction, transport and retail.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population

593 · 2021 Census · Australian Bureau of Statistics

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Government

An Australian external territory under Commonwealth authority. An Administrator represents the Australian Government, while the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands provides local government services. Many state-type services are supplied through Western Australian arrangements.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Knowledge check

Three questions about Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

In which year did this event occur in Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Islanders vote for integration with Australia?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · ABS · 2021 Census · Geoscience Australia · Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.