Cocos Islands

Cocos Islands

Cocos Islands, officially Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, also called Keeling Islands, external territory of Australia in the eastern Indian Ocean. The islands lie 2,290 miles (3,685 km) west of Darwin, Northern Territory, on the northern Australian coast, and about 560 miles (900 km) southwest of Christmas Island (another external territory of Australia). The isolated territory is made up of two coral atolls, the southern comprising 26 islets and the northern containing only North Keeling Island. The territory’s administrative headquarters are on West Island in the southern atoll. Total land area 5 square miles (14 square km). Population (2016) 544.