Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Government

Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational Issues

Cocos (Keeling) Islands is located Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka. The climate is tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year. The terrain is flat, low-lying coral atolls.

Country name

This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)
Country name - conventional long form : Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Country name - conventional short form : Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status

This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
Dependency status : non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department

Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)
Government type : NA

Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Capital - name : West Island
Capital - geographic coordinates : 12 10 S, 96 50 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.
Administrative divisions : none (territory of Australia)

Independence

For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Independence : none (territory of Australia)

National holiday

This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
National holiday : Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution

This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Constitution : Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system

This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legal system : based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Suffrage : NA

Executive branch

This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
Executive branch - chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
Executive branch - head of government : Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
Executive branch - cabinet : NA
Executive branch - elections : the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch

This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Legislative branch - elections : held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)

Judicial branch

This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Judicial branch : Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political parties and leaders : none

Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Political pressure groups and leaders : The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre

International organization participation

This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organization participation : none

Diplomatic representation in the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US : none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US : none (territory of Australia)

Flag description

This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Flag description : the flag of Australia is used


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