Geography
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands consist of two flat, low-lying coral atolls with an area of 14.2 square kilometres (5.5 sq mi), 26 kilometres (16 mi) of coastline, a highest elevation of 5 metres (16 ft) and thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation. The climate is pleasant, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year and with moderate rainfall. Cyclones may occur in the early months of the year.
North Keeling Island is an atoll consisting of just one C-shaped island, a nearly closed atoll ring with a small opening into the lagoon, about 50 metres (160 ft) wide, on the east side. The island measures 1.1 square kilometres (270 acres) in land area and is uninhabited. The lagoon is about 0.5 square kilometres (120 acres). North Keeling Island and the surrounding sea to 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from shore form the Pulu Keeling National Park, established on 12 December 1995. It is home to the only surviving population of the endemic, and endangered, Cocos Buff-banded Rail.
South Keeling Islands is an atoll consisting of 24 individual islets forming an incomplete atoll ring, with a total land area of 13.1 square kilometres (5.1 sq mi). Only Home Island and West Island are populated. The Cocos Malays maintain weekend shacks, referred to as pondoks, on most of the larger islands.
Table of the islets, with areas, numbered islets clockwise starting in the north:
| Nr. | Islet (Malay name) |
English name | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulau Luar | Horsburgh Island | 1.04 |
| 2 | Pulau Tikus | Direction Island | 0.34 |
| 3 | Pulau Pasir | Workhouse Island | <0.01 |
| 4 | Pulau Beras | Prison Island | 0.02 |
| 5 | Pulau Gangsa | Closed sandbar, now part of Home Island | <0.01 |
| 6 | Pulau Selma | Home Island | 0.95 |
| 7 | Pulau Ampang Kechil | Scaevola Islet | <0.01 |
| 8 | Pulau Ampang | Canui Island | 0.06 |
| 9 | Pulau Wa-idas | Ampang Minor | 0.02 |
| 10 | Pulau Blekok | Goldwater Island | 0.03 |
| 11 | Pulau Kembang | Thorn Island | 0.04 |
| 12 | Pulau Cheplok | Gooseberry Island | <0.01 |
| 13 | Pulau Pandan | Misery Island | 0.24 |
| 14 | Pulau Siput | Goat Island | 0.10 |
| 15 | Pulau Jambatan | Middle Mission Isle | <0.01 |
| 16 | Pulau Labu | South Goat Island | 0.04 |
| 17 | Pulau Atas | South Island | 3.63 |
| 18 | Pulau Kelapa Satu | North Goat Island | 0.02 |
| 19 | Pulau Blan | East Cay | 0.03 |
| 20 | Pulau Blan Madar | Burial Island | 0.03 |
| 21 | Pulau Maria | West Cay | 0.01 |
| 22 | Pulau Kambling | Keelingham Horn Island | <0.01 |
| 23 | Pulau Panjang | West Island | 6.23 |
| 24 | Pulau Wak Bangka | Turtle Island | 0.22 |
There are no rivers or lakes on either atoll. Fresh water resources are limited to water lenses on the larger islands, underground accumulations of rainwater lying above the seawater. These lenses are accessed through shallow bores or wells.
Cocos (Keeling) Island is located on the opposite side of the globe from Corn Island, Nicaragua, relatively close to Cocos Island, Costa Rica.
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