Where are the Cocos (Keeling) Islands?
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean, made up of 27 coral islands in two atolls about 2,750 kilometres northwest of Perth.
Only two of the islands, West Island and Home Island, are inhabited, with about 600 people in total. Most Home Island residents are Cocos Malays, descendants of workers brought by the Clunies-Ross family, who ran coconut plantations there in the 1800s.
The islands became an Australian territory in 1955. In 1984 the residents voted in a United Nations supervised act of self-determination to become part of Australia.
A tropical atoll
The southern atoll forms a ring of islands around a large lagoon, while North Keeling is a single island protected as Pulu Keeling National Park. Turquoise water, coral and seabirds attract divers and visitors.
Flights from Perth take about four hours, and visitors usually stay on West Island. Snorkelling, kitesurfing and fishing are popular, and Cossies Beach on Direction Island is often praised as one of Australia's best.
Did You Know?
Charles Darwin visited the islands on HMS Beagle in 1836 and used them to develop his theory of how coral atolls form.