Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands operate as an external territory of Australia, and their democratic status is defined by their integration into the Australian constitutional framework. Residents possess full Australian citizenship and participate in federal elections, currently voting as part of the Northern Territory's Division of Lingiari. Local governance is managed by the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a democratically elected body that oversees municipal affairs with high levels of transparency and community engagement. The territory is governed by the rule of law, with the judicial system of Western Australia being applied, ensuring impartial legal proceedings and the protection of civil liberties. In recent years, including throughout 2025 and into 2026, political life has focused on the Strategic Modernisation Program and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airfield Expansion Project, both of which have been subject to public consultation and parliamentary oversight in Canberra. While the territory lacks sovereign independence, its inhabitants benefit from the institutional stability, free press, and rigorous human rights protections of the Australian state. The score reflects a high degree of democratic participation and administrative accountability, though it is slightly adjusted to account for the non-sovereign, administrative nature of the territory's relationship with the mainland government.