Country ISO code: CC

Official languages: English and Malay (Cocos Malay dialect)

Language ISO codes: en (English), ms (Malay)

Population of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 2025

• Estimated total population: between 593 and 596 inhabitants as of January 2025.

• Population has remained stable since 2024.

• Population distribution mainly:

  • Home Island: approximately 466 inhabitants, local Malay community.

  • West Island: approximately 133 inhabitants, administrative and residential area.

• 100% of the population lives in rural areas.

• Population density is approximately 42.57 inhabitants per km².

Linguistic and cultural characteristics

• Majority of the population consists of Cocos Malays, who speak a dialect of Malay known as Cocos Malay, used as a first language and in informal contexts.

• English is the official language for administration, education, and formal communication, spoken daily by about 22.3% of the population.

• Approximately 68.8% of the population uses the local Malay dialect daily.

• Cocos Malay is a variant of standard Malay with simplified grammar and influences from English and Arabic, reflecting local Islamic traditions.

Digital data and connectivity (2025)

• 383 active mobile cellular connections, equivalent to 64.6% of the population.

• 451 internet users, corresponding to 76.1% of the population.

• 300 active social media identities, about 50.6% of the population.

Summary

This report provides an overview of the population and linguistic situation of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, highlighting bilingualism between English and the local Malay dialect, Cocos Malay, as well as current population distribution and digital connectivity data.