Cocos (Keeling) Islands
 

1857 - 1903, Feb 1942 - Sep 1945, 1946 - 1948	15 Jul 1903 - 1925	1925 - 1942,  Sep 1945 - 1 Apr 1946
13 Sep 1948 - 23 Nov 1955	Adopted 23 Nov 1955	Adopted 6 Apr 2004

Map of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands  Hear National Anthem   "Advance Australia Fair"   Local Anthem (None)  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act (23 Nov 1955) Capital: West Island (Home Island 1831-1978; U.K. Administrators - Hone Island 1944-1953, West Island 1953-1978) Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD); Cocos (Keeling) Islands Rupee (1887-1978) National Holiday: 26 Jan (1788) Australia Day ------------------------------------ Local Holiday: 6 Apr (1984) Act of Self-Determination Day Population: 593 (2021) 1,626 (1946) GDP: $11 million (2010) Exports: $4 million (2024) Imports: $13.4 million (2024) Ethnic groups: Australian 24.8%, Malay 17.2%, Indonesian 12.1%, English 10.1%, Javanese 9.3% (2021) note: respondents had the option of reporting up to two ancestries on their Census form. Therefore, the sum of all ancestry responses will not equal the total number of people. Total Police Force: 4 (2012) Defense is  the Responsibility of Australia Merchant marine: None (2025) Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 65.6%, Roman Catholic 2%, Anglican 1.5%, non-religious 14%, other 1.6%, unspecified 15.3% (2021) International Organizations/Treaties: None Cocos Islands Chronology 1609                       Cocos (presumably) sighted (and named Cocos                              Islands) by English Capt. William Keeling                              (b. 1578? - d. 1620). 1631                       The islands are correctly placed, though unnamed,                              in maps published by the Dutch in Amsterdam. 1825                       French Commander Henry Auguste Le Cour (b. 1773 -                              d. 1857) is shipwrecked on Direction Island. Jun 1826                   The first regular settlement is made by an English                              adventurer named Alexander Hare (b. 1775 - d.                              1834), formerly British resident at Banjarmasin,                              Borneo, who brings his Malay harem and slaves. He                              builds a small house to serve as a prison on an                              insignificant sand bank which becomes known as                              Prison Island (Pulu Beras), but later lives there                              himself. He also has settlements on Hare Island                             (West Island), Horsburgh Island, Direction Island                             (Pulu Tikus), and Home Island. He has with him an                              Englishman, James Downie, who acts as a kind of                              manager or overseer. 15 Dec 1826                The British ship Sir Francis N. Burton is wrecked                              on the south corner of West Island.  4 Nov 1827                Clunies Ross raises the British flag over his                              settlement - moved to South Island (Pulu Atas) in                              consequence of unfriendly relations with the Hare                              party which occupies the other islands - and                              names it New Selma. The early inhabitants also                              call the islands Borneo Coral Reefs after the                              vessel.   4-20 Mar 1830             Capt. Alexander Arthur Sandilands in HMS Comet                              visits the islands to report for the British                              government. Mar 1831                   Hare leaves; Clunies-Ross takes possession of all                              islands; Cocos Islands subsequently becoming                         a feudal "fiefdom" of the Clunies-Ross family                         (Cocos Islands, also called Keeling Islands,                         from c.1880 also Cocos-Keeling Islands). 1833                       At about this time Clunies Ross moves his                              settlement back to what comes to be known as Home                              Island (Pulu Selma).  2 Jun 1834                The British brig Earl of Liverpool is wrecked on                              the northeastern shore of North Keeling. Her crew                              is saved.  1-12 Apr 1836             British naturalist Charles Darwin (b. 1809 - d.                              1882) arrives on HMS Beagle to make coral-reef                              observations at the islands. 1841                       The Dutch flag is flown on the Cocos Islands for a                              time, but the governor-general of the Netherlands                              East Indies acted without the approval of the                              home government; the minister for the colonies                              overrules the decision to claim sovereignty and                              the flag is removed. 31 Mar 1857                HMS Juno arrives in the atoll and Capt. Stephen                              Fremantle (b. 1810 - d. 1860) proclaims the                              islands part of the British dominions. He does so                              by mistake: the islands intended for annexation                              were the Great and Little Coco Islands located                              north of the Andaman Islands in Bay of Bengal.  10 Sep 1878                By letters-patent of this date, and a proclamation                              in the Ceylon Gazette of 22 Nov 1878, the Cocos                              are placed under the governor of Ceylon. 18 Mar 1886                Governor of Straits Settlements (see Singapore) is                              appointed Governor of Cocos Islands and vested                              with powers and authorized to transfer/annex                              islands to Straits Settlements.  7 Jul 1886                All the land on Cocos Islands above the high-water                              mark granted by indenture, under U.K. sovereignty                              and with certain reservations, "in perpetuity"                              to the Clunies-Ross family by Queen Victoria. 1901                       A cable station is established on Direction Island. 15 Jul 1903                The Cocos are attached to the British crown colony                              of Singapore (within the Straits Settlements).   9 Nov 1914                German warship Emden lands a raiding party on                               Direction Island to destroy wireless equipment.                              HMAS Sydney severely damages the Emden in battle                              and the Emden is beached.  Jan 1942 - 30 Mar 1946     Subordinated to Ceylon.  3 Mar 1942                A Japanese cruiser shells Direction Island from                              close range.  8-9 May 1942              A mutiny by soldiers of Ceylon Defense Force led                              by W. Gratien Fernando (b. 1914 - d. 1942) on                              Horsburgh Island fails.  5 Aug 1944                A Japanese plane attacks Home Island, killing two                              people and destroying about 30 houses. 20 Jul 1945 -  3 Apr 1946  British military administration.  1 Apr 1946                The Straits Settlements are dissolved, Singapore                              (including Cocos) becoming a separate colony. On                              3 Apr 1946 civil administration is reestablished. 23 Nov 1955                Cocos Islands separated from Singapore and                              transferred to Australia; officially "Territory                              of Cocos (Keeling) Islands". Locals entitled from                              the date of their 21st birthday to make the                              declaration of Australian citizenship.  1 Sep 1978                Australia acquires the Clunies-Ross interests in                              the Cocos Islands (excluding the family home                              [which was sold in 1993]) for $6.25 million from                              John Cecil Clunies-Ross, who relinquishes his                              authority. 25 Jul 1979                Local government organized, Interim Advisory                              Council transformed into Cocos (Keeling) Islands                              Council.  6 Apr 1984                Cocos Islanders vote (87.7%) for integration with                              Australia, no alternatives being offered over                              independence or free-association. 25 Jun 1984                Made a separate electoral district of the Division                              of the Northern Territory (from 21 Dec 2000, part                              Northern Territory federal electoral division of                              Lingiari). 25 Jun 1984                Cocos Islanders are granted full rights and                              responsibilities of Australian citizens.  1 Jul 1992                Laws in force in Cocos Islands repealed (unless                              specified), Western Australia law made applicable                              instead and local government re-organized as                              Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire. 12 Dec 1995                Pulu Keeling National Park established encompassing                              North Keeling Island and the surrounding sea to                              1.5 KM (0.93 Miles) from shore.  1 Oct 1997                Australian Indian Ocean Territories (both Christmas                              Island and Cocos Islands) which from here on are                              under a common administrator, based at Christmas                              Island.  8 Sep 2001                Cocos Islands are excised from Australia's                              migration zone, precluding unauthorized arrivals                              on from pursuing residency in the country. 11 Dec 2010                Western Australia law made applicable to Cocos                              Islands, but in reference to responsible                              Australian Minister, not Western Australia                              Minister/Government (by the Territories Law                              Reform Act 2010). 20 Mar 2022                Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park established,                              covering an area of 467,054 square kilometers and                              extends from most of the islands' shoreline to                              the limit of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone                             (AEEZ) approximately 200 nautical miles from shore

Settler
May 1826 - Mar 1831        Alexander Hare (on main island)    (b. 1775 - d. 1834)
Rulers ("Kings"; from 1857, Governors)¹
 4 Nov 1827 - 26 May 1854  John Ross                          (b. 1786 - d. 1854)
                             (on South Island only to Mar 1831)
26 May 1854 -  8 Jun 1871  John George Ross                   (b. 1823 - d. 1871)
 8 Jun 1871 -  7 Jul 1910  George Ross                        (b. 1842 - d. 1910)
 7 Jul 1910 - 14 Aug 1944  John Sidney Clunies-Ross (Ross IV) (b. 1868 - d. 1944)
14 Aug 1944 - 31 Aug 1978  John Cecil Clunies-Ross (Ross V)   (b. 1928 - d. 2021)
                             (resident in U.K. to 6 Jul 1946)
14 Aug 1944 - 28 Nov 1949  Rose Nash Clunies-Ross (f)-Trustee (b. 1902 - d. 1991)
Governors
22 Nov 1878 - 18 Mar 1886  the governors of Ceylon
18 Mar 1886 - 15 Feb 1942  the governors the Straits 
                           Settlements 
15 Feb 1942 -  1 Apr 1946  the governors of Ceylon
 1 Apr 1946 - 23 Nov 1955  the governors of Singapore
British Military Administrators (on Home Island)
(subordinated to the fortress commander 27 Jul 1945 - 1 Apr 1946)
 1 Sep 1944 - 18 Feb 1945  John Edward Bendelow Jessamine     (b. 1898 - d. 1956)
18 Feb 1945 -  3 Apr 1945  G.M.L. Williams
 3 Apr 1945 - 28 Jul 1945  John Allen Harvey                  (b. 1900 - d. 1991)
28 Jul 1945 - 27 Apr 1946  E.M. Jones-Lloyd
Administrators (on Home Island 1946-1953, then West Island)
27 Apr 1946 - 1946         David Alford Somerville            (b. 1908 - d. 1974)
1946 - 1947                Thomas Edward Smith                (b. 1916 - d. 1989)
1947 - Oct 1948            Patrick Sydney Bolshaw             (b. 1919 - d. 2008)
Oct 1948 - 1950            Eric Statham de Banzie             (b. 1922 - d. 2000)
Sep 1950 - Dec 1951        Roderick MacLean                   (b. 1921 - d. 2008)
Dec 1951 - c.1953          F.I. Bentley
1954 - c.1954              Ernest Henry Claude Lillicrup      (b. 1898 - d. ....)
Official Representatives
23 Nov 1955 -  7 Nov 1958  Harold James Hull                  (b. 1911 - d. 1983)
14 Dec 1957 - 13 Mar 1958  Cyril Hewitt Cox (acting for Hull) (b. 1899 - d. 1994)
 8 Nov 1958 - 30 Sep 1960  John William Stokes                (b. 1910 - d. 1995)
28 Jul 1960 - 18 Apr 1966  Charles Ivens Buffett              (b. 1914 - d. 1995)
                             (acting [for Stokes to 30 Sep 1960] to 25 Feb 1964)
10 May 1964 - 1964         John Alexander Gibson
                             (acting for Buffett)  
19 Apr 1966 -  6 May 1968  Patrick Leonard Ryan               (b. 1916 - d. 1996)
 7 May 1968 - 19 Jun 1968  .... (acting)
20 Jun 1968 - 25 Jun 1969  John Peter Cyprian Burbrook        (b. 1922 - d. 2017)
26 Jun 1969 - 28 Jul 1972  Cecil William Suthern              (b. 1927 - d. 2013)
14 Jul 1972 - 16 Jul 1975  Charles McManus                    (b. 1925 - d. 2018)
                             (acting for Suthern to 28 Jul 1972)
Administrators
23 Jul 1975 - 15 Nov 1977  Robert James Linford               (b. 1917 - d. 2007)
16 Nov 1977 - 31 Dec 1981  Charles Ivens Buffett              (s.a.)
 1 Jan 1981 - 20 Apr 1982  .... (acting)
21 Apr 1982 - 22 Nov 1983  Eric Herbert Hanfield              (b. 1918 - d. 2005)
23 Nov 1983 - 11 Dec 1983  .... (acting)
12 Dec 1983 - 19 Nov 1985  Kenneth "Ken" Chan                 (b. 1944)
20 Nov 1985 - 31 Dec 1987  Carolyn Meadley Stuart (f)         (b. 19.. - d. 2006)
 1 Jan 1988 - 30 Jun 1988  William "Bill" Syrette (acting)    (b. 1929 - d. 2017)
 1 Jul 1988 -  7 Nov 1988  Michael "Mike" Jopling (acting)    (b. 1945 - d. 2016)
 8 Nov 1988 - 27 Nov 1990  Alline Dawn Lawrie (f)             (b. 1938)
 1 Dec 1990 -  4 Dec 1992  Barry Thomas Cunningham            (b. 1939 - d. 2018)
 5 Dec 1992 -  4 Dec 1994  John Bell Read                     (b. 1939)
 5 Dec 1994 - 31 Jan 1995  Dan "Danny" Ambrose Gillespie
                             (acting)
 1 Feb 1995 - 30 Jan 1996  Martin Scott Mowbray               (b. 1944)
 1 Feb 1996 - 12 Apr 1997  Jarl Andersson (acting)
12 Apr 1997 - 30 Sep 1997  Maureen Ellis (f) (acting)
 1 Oct 1997 -              the administrators of
                           Christmas Island
Official Secretaries
1997 - 1998                Maureen Ellis
1998 - 1999                Chris Nagel
May 1999 - Sep 2000        Debra Blaskett
2000                       Post abolished

Chairmen of the Interim Advisory Council
16 Oct 1975 - Apr 1976     the administrator
Apr 1976 - 18 Mar 1978     Post abolished
Mar 1978 - 25 Jul 1979     Parson bin Yapat                   (b. 1948)
Chairmen of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Council
25 Jul 1979 - 22 Oct 1979  Parson bin Yapat (1st time)        (s.a.)
22 Oct 1979 - 22 Oct 1983  Wahin bin Bynie                    (b. 19.. - d. 2015)
                             (= Nek Haji Fazerie)
22 Oct 1983 - 30 Jun 1992  Parson bin Yapat (2nd time)        (s.a.)
Presidents of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
 1 Jul 1992 - May 1993     Parson bin Yapat                   (s.a.)
May 1993 - May 1995        Ronald "Ron" James Grant (1st time)(b. 1945)
May 1995 - May 1999        Haji Radal bin Feyrel
May 1999 - May 2001        Mohammed Said bin Chongkin
                             (1st time)
May 2001 - Oct 2007        Ronald "Ron" James Grant (2nd time)(s.a.)
Oct 2007 - 2009            Mohammed Said bin Chongkin
                             (2nd time)
2009                       Shane Charlston
Oct 2009 - 29 Jun 2011     Balmut Pirus (1st time)
29 Jun 2011 - 28 Oct 2015  Aindil Minkom (1st time)
28 Oct 2015 - 25 Oct 2017  Balmut Pirus (2nd time)
25 Oct 2017 - 23 Oct 2019  Seriwati Iku (f)                   (b. 1980)
23 Oct 2019 - 22 Oct 2025  Aindil Minkom (2nd time)
22 Oct 2025 -              Isa Minkom

 ¹In 1886 the Clunies-Ross family again declared the islands a kingdom; this title was not recognized by U.K. or Australia and by the time of John Sidney Clunies-Ross (s.a.) the title was abandoned.

No Political Parties Exist; Administered by Australian Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

Territorial Disputes: None identified.