The atoll consists of 24 islands, with the largest being West, Home, South, Direction, and Horsburgh islands.[5] West Island is the largest in the territory, with a length of 10 km (6 mi).[5]
The South Keeling Islands have two inhabited islands with a combined population of 600, West Island and Home Island.[3] The capital of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands is West Island while the largest settlement is the village of Bantam, on Home Island.[6] The other islands are not permanently inhabited. A Malay ethnic group of just over 450 people live on the islands, the Cocos Malays, who live mainly in Bantam on Home Island. There are also about 150 Australians, most of whom live on West Island.[7]
Islets forming the South Keeling Islands atoll (clockwise from north)[2]
| Islet
(Malay name) | Translation of Malay name | English name | Area
(approx.) |
|---|
| km2 | mi2 |
| 1 | Pulau Luar | Outer Island | Horsburgh Island | 1.04 | 0.40 |
| 2 | Pulau Tikus | Mouse Island | Direction Island | | |
| 3 | Pulau Pasir | Sand Island | Workhouse Island | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 4 | Pulau Beras | Rice Island | Prison Island | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| 5 | Pulau Gangsa | Copper Island | Closed sandbar, now part of Home Island | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 6 | Pulau Selma | | Home Island | 0.95 | 0.37 |
| 7 | Pulau Ampang Kechil | Little Ampang Island | Scaevola Islet | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 8 | Pulau Ampang | Ampang Island | Canui Island | 0.06 | 0.02 |
| 9 | Pulau Wa-idas | | Ampang Minor | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| 10 | Pulau Blekok | Reef Heron Island | Goldwater Island | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| 11 | Pulau Kembang | Flower Island | Thorn Island | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| 12 | Pulau Cheplok | Cape Gooseberry Island | Gooseberry Island | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 13 | Pulau Pandan | Pandanus Island | Misery Island | 0.24 | 0.09 |
| 14 | Pulau Siput | Shell Island | Goat Island | 0.10 | 0.04 |
| 15 | Pulau Jambatan | Bridge Island | Middle Mission Isle | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 16 | Pulau Labu | Pumpkin Island | South Goat Island | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| 17 | Pulau Atas | Up Wind Island | South Island | 3.63 | 1.40 |
| 18 | Pulau Kelapa Satu | One Coconut Island | North Goat Island | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| 19 | Pulau Blan | | East Cay | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| 20 | Pulau Blan Madar | | Burial Island | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| 21 | Pulau Maria | Maria Island | West Cay | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 22 | Pulau Kambing | Goat Island | Keelingham Horn Island | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| 23 | Pulau Panjang | Long Island | West Island | 6.23 | 2.41 |
| 24 | Pulau Wak Bangka | | Turtle Island | 0.22 | 0.08 |
