Map of Cook Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 236 km²
Land: 236 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 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 oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation
Highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: coconuts (copra)

Land use
Agricultural land: 8.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 4.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 4.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 64.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 27% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0 m³ (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: tropical cyclones (November to March)

Geography
Note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 km²


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Population
Distribution: most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga
Total: 7,761
Male: 3,980
Female: 3,781 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -2.24% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Cook Islander(s)
Adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups: Cook Island Maori 77.4%, part Cook Island Maori 8.3%, Fijian 3.6%, New Zealand Maori/European 3.4%, Filipino 2.9%, other Pacific Islands 1.8%, other 2.6% (2021 est.)

Languages: English (official) 86.4%, Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan) (official) 76.2%, other 8.3% (2011 est.)
Note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Religions: Protestant 55% (Cook Islands Christian Church 43.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Assemblies of God 3.6%), Roman Catholic 16.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 3.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.2%, Apostolic Church 2.1%, other 4.5%, none/unspecified 15.6% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.2% (male 738/female 671)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,634/female 2,479)
65 years and over: 16% (2024 est.) (male 608/female 631)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 53.8
Youth dependency ratio: 36.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 17.4
Potential support ratio: 5.8 (2021)

Median age
Total: 41.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.7 years
Female: 41.4 years

Population growth rate: -2.24% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 12.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -25.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga

Urbanization
Urban population: 76.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited land presents solid and liquid waste disposal problems; soil destruction and deforestation; environmental degradation due to indiscriminate use of pesticides; improper disposal of pollutants; overfishing and destructive fishing practices; over dredging of lagoons and coral rubble beds; unregulated building
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 74.8 years
Female: 80.6 years

Total fertility rate: 2.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 99.1% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 55.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 12.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 7.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 24% (2020 est.)
Male: 27.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 20.3% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 14 years (2012)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Cook Islands
Former: Hervey Islands
Etymology: named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Avarua
Geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
Time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: translates as 'two harbors' in Maori

Administrative divisions: none

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands became self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)

National holiday: Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution
History: 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964)
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state’s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2004

Legal system: common law similar to New Zealand common law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration (New Zealand normally retains responsibility for external affairs); accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Catherine GRAHAM (since 8 September 2024)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament, formerly the Legislative Assembly (24 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 1 August 2022 (next to be held by 2,026)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - CIP 44%, Demo 26.9%, Cook Islands United Party 26.9%, OCI 2.7%, other 0.2% independent 7.3%; seats by party - CIP 12, Demo 5, Cook Islands United Party 3, OCI 1, independent 3; composition - men 18, women 6, percentage women 25%
Note: the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the King's representative, serves as a consultative body to the Parliament

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions)
Note: appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Judge selection and term of office: High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms
Subordinate courts: justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party or CIP, Cook Islands United Party , Democratic Party or Demo, One Cook Islands Movement or OCI

International organization participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
From the us embassy: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
From the us note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Cook Islands

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: a circle of 15, five-pointed, white stars on a blue field, Tiare maori (Gardenia taitensis) flower; national colors: green, white

National anthem
Name: 'Te Atua Mou E' (To God Almighty)
Lyrics/music: Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS
Note: adopted 1982; as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem; his wife, a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics

National heritage


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Economy overview: high-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; tourism-based activity but diversifying; severely curtailed by COVID-19 pandemic; copra and tropical fruit exporter; Asian Development Bank aid recipient

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $266 million (2022 est.); $257 million (2021 est.); $287 million (2020 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 10.5% (2022 est.); -24.5% (2021 est.); -5.2% (2020 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $15,600 (2022 est.); $15,100 (2021 est.); $16,800 (2020 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, vegetables, papayas, pork, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fruits, mangoes/guavas, watermelons, eggs (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $113.674 million (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $129.088 million (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

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: $31.4 million (2021 est.)
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: Japan 42%, France 27%, Thailand 12%, US 4%, Italy 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: fish, ships, surveying equipment, sports equipment, garments (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $215 million (2021 est.)
Partners: NZ 51%, Italy 18%, Fiji 11%, China 7%, Australia 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, cars, plastic products, other foods (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 17,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 37.5 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.2 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 60.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Imports: 1.3 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 600 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 87,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 87,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 7,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 17,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Cook Islands Police Service

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: E5

Airports: 10 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 295 km
Paved: 207 km
Unpaved: 88 km (2018)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs