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Flag of Cook Islands
Map of Cook Islands
Introduction Cook Islands
Background:
 Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control previously transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Geography Cook Islands
Location:
 Oceania, group of islands in South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
 21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references:
 Oceania
Area:
 total: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 240 sq km
Area - comparative:
 1.3 times size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 120 km
Maritime claims:
 continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
 low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources:
 NEGL
Land use:
 arable land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 69.57% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues:
 NA
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of selected agreements
Geography - note:
 northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of populace lives
People Cook Islands
Total Population:
 21,008 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate:
 NA% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
 NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
 NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
 NA (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 total: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Life Expectancy:
 Population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
 NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 NA
Nationality:
 noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups:
 Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Religions:
 Christian (majority of populace are members of Cook Islands Christian Church)
Languages:
 English (official), Maori
Literacy:
 definition: NA
Population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Cook Islands
Country name:
 conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands
Dependency status:
 self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with Cook Islands
Government type:
 self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital:
 Avarua
Administrative divisions:
 none
Independence:
 none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
National holiday:
 Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Constitution:
 4 August 1965
Legal system:
 based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage:
 NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New Zealand
elections: none; monarch is hereditary; UK representative is appointed by monarch; New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON (since 12 February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Ngamau MUNOKOA (since 5 November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament
Legislative branch:
 unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
note: House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch:
 High Court
Political parties and leaders:
 Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
 NA
International organization participation:
 ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from US:
 none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description:
 blue, with flag of UK in upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in outer half of flag
Economy Cook Islands
Economy - overview:
 Like many other South Pacific island nations, Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by isolation of country from foreign markets, limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In 1980s and 1990s, country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, includes sale of state assets, strengthening of economic management, encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
GDP:
 buying power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
 7.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
 buying power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
 agriculture: 17%
industry: 7.8%
services: 75.2% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
 NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
 lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
 3.2% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
 8,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
 agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)
Unemployment rate:
 13% (1996)
Budget:
 revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, includes capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY 00/01 est.)
Industries:
 fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
 1% (2002)
Electricity - production:
 27.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
 fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
 25.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
 450 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
 NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
 NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:
 copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Exports:
 $9.1 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:
 copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners:
 Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)
Imports:
 $50.7 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:
 foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners:
 NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)
Debt - external:
 $141 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
 $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish greater part (1995)
Currency:
 New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:
 NZD
Exchange rates:
 New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)
Fiscal year:
 1 April - 31 March
Communications Cook Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
 5,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
 0 (1994)
Telephone system:
 general assessment: NA
domestic: individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within islands, service is provided by limited exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
 AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
 14,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
 4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
 .ck
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
 3 (2000)
Internet users:
 NA
Transportation Cook Islands
Railways:
 0 km
Highways:
 total: 320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2000)
Waterways:
 none
Ports and harbors:
 Avarua, Avatiu
Airports:
 7 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
 total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
 total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Military Cook Islands
Military - note:
 defense is responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with Cook Islands and at its request
Transnational Issues Cook Islands
Disputes - international:
 none