Transfer of Cocos Islands

Date: November 23, 1955 • Location: Cocos (Keeling) Islands, International

The Cocos Islands are transferred from the control of the United Kingdom to that of Australia.

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, officially the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, are an Australian external territory located in the Indian Ocean, comprising a small archipelago approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka and relatively close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The territory's dual name reflects that the islands have historically been known as either the Cocos Islands or the Keeling Islands, the latter of which is still a common short name.