culture:
gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4364 (January 1994), 1.4704
(1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2836 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Communications

Highways:
total:
NA
paved:
NA
unpaved:
NA
Ports:
none; lagoon anchorage only
Airports:
total:
1
usable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1
Telecommunications:
250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications via satellite with Australia; broadcast stations - 1
AM, no FM, no TV

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

@Colombia, Geography

Location:
Northern South America, between Panama and Venezuela
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones
of the World
Area:
total area:
1,138,910 sq km
land area:
1,038,700 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
note:
includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla
Bank
Land boundaries:
total 7,408 km, Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru
2,900 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
not specified
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y
Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
Climate:
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
eastern lowland plains
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
Land use:
arable land:
4%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
29%
forest and woodland:
49%
other:
16%
Irrigated land:
5,150 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides
natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; periodic droughts
internation