If there is a Paradise on Earth, it is here in Cocos Islands, also known as Keeling Islands. This tiny area is lost in the vast ocean, and only the most courageous travelers get here. But this land is so marvelous that no one who has been here will ever be able to forget it.
Top amazing facts about Cocos Islands
- The archipelago consists of 26 Islands. Of these, only 2 are inhabited.
- Cocos Islands are a being a part of the Australian Overseas Territory.
- The official local currency is AUD (Australian dollar).
- Officially the British monarch is the head of this tiny country.
- The area of the Keeling Islands doesn’t exceed 5.7 square miles (14 square kilometers), and only about 700 people live here. For comparison, the area of Gibraltar, a part of British Overseas Territory, is 2.5 times smaller, and there are about 32k people living (check 20 amazing facts about Gibraltar).
- All islands of the archipelago are coral atolls.
- There is a hospital, an airport, and several hotels here.
- The official language of Cocos Islands is English.
- About 80% of the local population are Cocos Malays.
- The most widespread religion here is Islam. It’s practiced by about 80% of the population.
- There is a special dress code that must be followed by both men and women. Surprisingly, it had emerged as a result of a mixture of Javanese and Scottish cultures.
- From 1887 to 1978, this country had been having its own currency, the Coconut Islands rupee.
- The national domain of Cocos Islands .cc is very popular nowadays.
- Foreigners require an Australian visa to visit the Keeling Islands.