Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
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:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre
International organization participation:
none
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used
National anthem:
note: as a territory of Australia, "Advance Australia Fair" remains official as the national anthem, while "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see Australia)
Economy ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Economy - overview:
Coconuts, grown throughout the islands, are the sole cash crop.
Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
Australia. There is a small tourist industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA
Labor force:
NA
Labor force - by occupation:
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Unemployment rate:
60% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Industries:
copra products and tourism
Exports:
$NA
Exports - commodities:
copra
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.1151 (2010), 1.2822 (2009), 1.2059 (2008), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006)
Communications ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992) country comparison to the world: 229
Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular network is in operation
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)
Broadcast media:
1 local radio station staffed by community volunteers; broadcasts of several Australian radio and TV stations are received via satellite (2009)
Internet country code:
.cc
Internet hosts:
35,312 (2010) country comparison to the world: 96
Transportation ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Airports:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 234
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 22 km country comparison to the world: 220 paved: 10 km
unpaved: 12 km (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Port Refuge
Military ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force
Transnational Issues ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 12, 2011
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@Colombia (South America)
Introduction ::Colombia
Background:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. In January 2011, Colombia assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011–12 term.
Geography ::Colombia
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 72 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km country comparison to the world: 26 land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,309 km
border