Cocos (Keeling) Islands Geography Profile 2007

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to 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

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 extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources

fish

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Natural hazards

cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues

fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note

islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation