South Keeling Islands

South Keeling Islands

Geography
Location	Indian Ocean
Coordinates	12°10′N 96°52′E
Administration
Australia

The South Keeling Islands are a group of islands of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, next to North Keeling, about 27 km (17 mi) to the north. The Australian atoll is located in the Indian Ocean about 2,930 km (1,821 mi) northwest of Perth, 3,685 km (2,290 mi) west of Darwin, 960 km (597 mi) southwest of Christmas Island and more than 1,000 km (621 mi) southwest of Java and Sumatra.

The atoll consists of West, Home, South, Direction, and Horsburgh islands.[1] West Island is the largest in the territory, with a length of 10 km (6 mi).[1]

The South Keeling Islands have two inhabited islands with a combined population of 550, West Island and Home Island. The other islands are not permanently inhabited. A Malay ethnic group of just over 400 people live on the islands, the Cocos Malays, who live mainly in Bantam on Home Island. There are also about 150 Australians, most of whom live on West Island.[2]

Notes

1. "Cocos Islands | territory, Australia". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
2. Census 2011 des Australian Bureau of Statistics, retrieved 28 April 2015.