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. Residents chose self-government with free association with New Zealand in 1965. The emigration of Cook Islanders to New Zealand in large numbers and resulting loss of skilled labor and government deficits are continuing problems.

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
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 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
Extremes highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 13%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: NA%
Other: 78% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)

Population: 20,200 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.04% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 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%

Languages: English (official), Maori

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

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.04% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 22.35 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.75 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Law of the Sea
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Infant mortality rate: 24.7 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.14 years
Male: 69.2 years
Female: 73.1 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.17 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Literacy: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: 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 the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 4 August

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 Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of New Zealand
Head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February 1989)
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 party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held by June 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2
Note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch: High Court

International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, 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

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, 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 made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In 1996, the government declared bankruptcy, citing a $120 million public debt. Efforts to exploit tourism potential and expanding the mining and fishing industries have not been enough to adequately deal with the financial crisis. In an effort to stem further erosion of the economy, the government slashed public service salaries by 50%, condensed the number of government ministries from 52 to 22, reduced the number of civil servants by more than half, began selling government assets, and closed all overseas diplomatic posts except for the one in New Zealand.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $4,000 (1994 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 6%
Services: 77% (FY90/91)

Agriculture products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee

Industries: fruit processing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 6,601 (1993)
By occupation agriculture: 29%
By occupation government: 27%
By occupation services: 25%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation other: 4% (1981)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Exports: $4.2 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities: copra, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Partners: NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong (1993)

Imports: $85 million (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia (1993)

Debt external: $160 million (1994)

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1: 1.8560 (January 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994)

Electricity
Production: 15 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 15 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Telephones: 4,180 (1994)

Telephone system
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: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Airports: 7 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 6
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT (1998 est.)

Disputes international: none