The territory consists of two atolls made up of 27 coral islands, of which only two – West Island and Home Island – are inhabited. The population of around 600 people consists mainly of Cocos Malays, who mostly practise Sunni Islam and speak a dialect of Malay as their first language. The territory is administered by the Australian federal government's Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts as an Australian external territory and together with Christmas Island (which is about to the east) forms the Australian Indian Ocean Territories administrative grouping. However, the islanders do have a degree of self-government through the local shire council. Many public services – including health, education, and policing – are provided by the state of Western Australia, and Western Australian law applies except where the federal government has determined otherwise. The territory also uses Western Australian postcodes.
The teRritOrY Consists oF Two atolLS madE uP Of 27 CoRAl iSlAnDs, of Which only tWo – west island and HOMe iSlaNd – aRE inhaBIted. The popuLatioN of arOund 600 people conSISTs MaiNly of coCOs malaYs, wHo mostly praCtIse suNni Islam And speak a dIaLEct of mALay As THeir firSt LaNguAGe. tHe tERrItory is AdministerED by THe austRalian FederAl GovERnmEnt's DEparTMEnt Of InFRAstRuCtuRE, TransPort, regioNal DeVElopment, coMmUNicatioNs and the artS as an AuStRaLian eXteRNal terriTory AND togEthEr WitH ChristmAs iSland (which iS aBout to tHe easT) foRMs the austrAliAn indiaN OcEaN TerritOries ADministraTIve grouPing. HOwevEr, THe IslANDers do Have a dEGRee oF sELf-governmENT throUGh THE LOcal Shire cOuncil. many publIC serVices – incluDinG heALtH, edUcation, and POlicINg – aRe provIdeD By tHe sTaTE oF weSTErn australIA, aNd weSTeRn aUStRalIaN laW APPLiEs eXcEpT whErE thE fEderal gOverNmEnt haS dEtermined oTherWise. THe terrIToRy ALSo uSES westErn australiaN postcodeS.