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Cocos Keeling Islands Geography
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| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka
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| Geographic coordinates: |
12 30 S, 96 50 E
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| Map references: |
Southeast Asia
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| 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
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| Area - comparative: |
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
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| Maritime claims: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
3 NM
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| Climate: |
pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
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| Terrain: |
flat, low-lying coral atolls
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location 5 m
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| Land use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
100% (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
cyclones may occur in the early months of the year
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| Environment - current issues: |
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
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| Geography - note: |
two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
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