or Cocos Islands, a group in the Indian Ocean, in S. Lat. 12. 5., E. Long. 96. 53., consisting of a circular chain of small coral islands, enclosing within them a spacious harbour called Port-Abishon. These islands, of which the chief are Horsburgh and Keeling, are inhabited by Malays and a few English, and covered with numerous cocoa nut and other trees. They were discovered by Keeling in 1609.