Map of Cook Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Named after Captain Cook who sighted them in 1770 the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900 administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.


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Location: Oceania group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S 159 46 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 240 km²
Land: 240 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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
Extremes highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 17.39%
Permanent crops: 13.04%
Other: 69.57% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)

Geography
Note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying sparsely populated coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated fertile volcanic isles where most of the populace lives


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Population: 21,200 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: NA (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Cook Islander
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%

Languages: English (official) Maori

Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: NA (2004 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: NA (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA years
Male: NA years
Female: NA years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: 95%
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Cook Islands
Former: Harvey Islands

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital: Avarua

Administrative divisions: none

Dependent areas

Independence: none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the 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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001), representative of New Zealand
Head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December 2004)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election
Note: the 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]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]

International organization participation: ACP AsDB FAO ICAO ICFTU IFAD IFRCS IOC OPCW PIF Sparteca UNESCO UPU WHO WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
From the us: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Like many other South Pacific island nations the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets the limited size of domestic markets lack of natural resources periodic devastation from natural disasters and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the 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 the 1980s and 1990s the country lived beyond its means maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms including the sale of state assets the strengthening of economic management the encouragement of tourism and a debt restructuring agreement have rekindled investment and growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 7.1% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 7.8%
Services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: copra citrus pineapples tomatoes beans pawpaws bananas yams taro coffee; pigs poultry

Industries: fruit processing tourism fishing clothing handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2002)

Labor force: 8,000 (1996)
By occupation note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate: 13% (1996)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $28 million
Expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.2% (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $9.1 million (2000)
Commodities: copra papayas fresh and canned citrus fruit coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Partners: Australia 34% Japan 27% New Zealand 25% US 8% (2000)

Imports: $50.7 million (2000)
Commodities: foodstuffs textiles fuels timber capital goods
Partners: New Zealand 61% Fiji 19% US 9% Australia 6% Japan 2% (2000)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $141 million (1996 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003) 2.1622 (2002) 2.3776 (2001) 2.1863 (2000) 1.8886 (1999)


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Electricity
Production: 27.43 million kWh (2001)
Consumption: 25.51 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 6,200 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 1500 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
Domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable
International: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ck
Users: 3,600 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 9 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
By type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
Foreign owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs