Cocos (Keeling) Islands Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total: 14 sq km

land: 14 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative

about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

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

Natural resources

fish

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

N/A

Population distribution

only Home Island and West Island are populated

Natural hazards

cyclone season is October to April

Geography - note

note 1: 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 surrounding a lagoon; North Keeling Island was declared a national park in 1995 and is administered by Parks Australia; the population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island; the islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

note 2: site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island

NOTE: The information regarding Cocos (Keeling) Islands on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.