Country Profiles: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Cocos (Keeling) Islands is located in Australia-Oceania.

There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.
CIA World Factbook

. With an area of 14 sq km, it is about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka. It is mostly flat, low-lying coral atolls.

People who live on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are called Cocos Islanders, which is also an adjective used to describe something from this country. As of July 2010, there are 596 people on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The ethnic groups that reside in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are Europeans and Cocos Malays. Malay (Cocos dialect) and English are spoken there. Sunni Muslims make up approximately 80% of the population.

The country's official name is the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The capital is West Island. Since it is a territory of Australia, there is no constitution. The currency is the Australian dollar(abbreviated AUD), which stands at 0.9695 AUD per USD as of 2011.

The flag of Australia is used for the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

All of this information was gathered from the CIA World Factbook. For more information, check out these resources...

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Cocos (Keeling) Islands, CIA World Factbook

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Country Profiles: Christmas Island

Christmas Island is located in Australia-Oceania.

Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Cia World Factbook

With an area of 135 sq km, it is three quarters the size of Washington, DC.

Christmas Island is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia. It is mostly steep cliffs along the coast that rise abruptly to a central plateau.

People who live on Christmas Island are called Christmas Islanders, while Christmas Island is the adjective used to describe something from this country. As of July 2012, there are 1,496 people in Christmas Island. The ethnic groups that reside in Christmas Island are mostly Chinese (70%), with some European (20%) and Malay (10%). The official language is English, but Chinese and Malay are also spoken there. Buddhists make up approximately 36% of the population, while Muslims (25%) and Christians (18%) make up the rest.

The country's official name is the Territory of Christmas Island. The capital is The Settlement. Christmas Island is a territory of Australia, so there is not a constitution. The currency is the Australian dollar (abbreviated AUD), which stands at 0.9695 AUD per USD as of 2011.

All of this information was gathered from the CIA World Factbook. For more information, check out these resources...

Christmas Island

Christmas Island, CIA World Factbook

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Country Profiles: British Indian Ocean Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory is located in the Indian Ocean near South Asia. The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) became an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. Several of the islands in this territory were transferred in 1976 to the Seychelles when it gained independence. With an area of 54,400 sq km, it is about 1/3 of the size of Washington, D.C.

The British Indian Ocean Territory is an archipelago of 55 islands. It is mostly flat and low.

There are no indigenous inhabitants of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Around 1,200 former agricultural workers (often called Chagossians or Ilois) were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s/1970s. In November 2004, about 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia.

The current Chief of State is Queen Elizabeth II. The Heads of Government are Commissioner Colin Roberts and Administrator John McManus. The currency is the U.S. Dollar.

All of this information was gathered from the CIA World Factbook. For more information, check out these resources...

British Indian Ocean Territory, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, U.K.

British Indian Ocean Territory, CIA World Factbook

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