| South Island | |
| Native Name: | Malay Pulau Atas |
| Local Name: | --> |
| Nickname: | --> |
| Map Size: | 270 |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | West Island in the Indian Ocean |
| Location: | Indian Ocean |
| Archipelago: | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Area Km2: | 3.63 |
| Area M2: | or |
| Area Ha: | --> |
| Length M: | --> |
| Width M: | --> |
| Coastline M: | --> |
| Elevation M: | 9 |
| Country: | Australia |
| Country Admin Divisions Title: | External territory of Australia |
| Country Admin Divisions: | Australian Indian Ocean Territories |
| Country Admin Divisions Title 1: | Territory |
| Country Admin Divisions 1: | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Country Capital Type: | Capital of Australia |
| Country Capital: | Canberra |
| Country Area M2: | or |
| Country Area Ha: | --> |
| Country1 Area M2: | or |
| Country1 Area Ha: | --> |
South Island (Malay: Pulau Panjang, Cocos Malay: Pulu Atas) is the southernmost and easternmost island of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands belonging to Australia in the eastern Indian Ocean.
The island belongs to the atoll of the South Keeling Islands. With an area of 3.63km2, it is by far the second largest island in the archipelago after West Island. It is uninhabited. It is located 9440NaN0 southwest of the nearest Indonesian island, Enggano, and 10880NaN0 off the coast of Java. Christmas Island, which is also Australian, is 9560NaN0 in a west-northwest direction. South island is 90NaN0 high, making it the highest point in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.[1]
South Island forms the southwestern edge of the atoll, so it is very curved. While the sea side is rather straight, consists of a beach and drops steeply after a few meters, the lagoon side is branched and only drops very gently. The island is heavily forested. Directly to the north are nine smaller islands, the first of which is Middle Mission Isle, followed by the inhabited Home Island after 4.30NaN0. Numerous tiny, mostly elongated islands can be found on the lagoon side, never more than 350 metres (380 yards) from the coast. In the west there are three small islands off the coast (North Goat Island, East Cay and Burial Island), followed by a 1.20NaN0 wide channel. Behind it is another small island and, a total of 2.30NaN0[2] from South Island, the main island of West Island. Probably the only house on the island is in the north.[3] There is a campground to the west.
Since the Cocos Islands are usually included in Asia because they are significantly closer to the coast of Indonesia than Australia, and South Island is the southernmost island in the group, it is the southernmost island of Asia and its southernmost point at 12 ° 12 ′ 32 ″ S, 96 ° 53 ′ 42 ″ E is also the southernmost point of Eurasia. If the Cocos Islands are not included in Asia, the southernmost point is on the Indonesian island of Pamana, 1340NaN0 farther north. If, however, the Australian Ashmore and Cartier Islands are also included in Asia, which are closer to Indonesia than to Asia, the southernmost point of Asia is 36km (22miles) farther south, on Cartier Island. The northernmost point of mainland Australia, Cape York, is 1690NaN0 farther south than South Island.[4]