Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia. There are two atolls and twenty-seven coral islands in the group. The islands are located in the Indian Ocean.

The islands remained uninhabited until the nineteenth century, when they became a possession of the Clunies-Ross Family. Slaves were brought to work the coconut plantation from Indonesia, the Cape of Good Hope and East.

The islands were annexed to the British Empire in 1857. In 1867, their administration was placed under the Straits Settlements and later the Crown Colony of Singapore. On November 23, 1955, the islands were transferred to Australian control.