Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Cocos (Keeling) islands are two large coral atolls made up of 27 coral islands. They lie some 2770 kilometres north-west of Perth, Western Australia, in the Indian Ocean (96°50'E 12°10'S), and cover an area of 14 square kilometres. Heavily vegetated, despite the constant occurrence of cyclones, the islands support a population of 546, mostly on Home Island and West Island.

Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609. The official reference to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is to avoid confusion with other islands of the same name.

Alexander Hare settled the islands in 1826, before which they were uninhabited. In 1827, John Clunies-Ross brought Malay labourers in to harvest coconuts. The islands were annexed by Britain in 1857, but given to the Clunies-Ross family in 1886. The Australian government bought the islands from the family in 1978; in 1984 the islanders voted to retain their links with Australia.

Reference

Geoscience Australia. 2006. "Cocos (Keeling) Islands". Retrieved 15 August 2008 from http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/externalterr/cocos.htm