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.

Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S 159 46 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 236 km²
Rank: 214
Land: 236 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 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 16.67%
Permanent crops: 8.33%
Other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (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

Population: 11,124 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 223
Growth rate: -3.2% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 229
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Cook Islander
Adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups: Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7% part Cook Island Maori 5.8% other 6.5% (2001 census)

Languages: English (official) Maori

Religions: Protestant 69.6% (Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9% Seventh-Day Adventist 7.9% other Protestant 5.8%) Roman Catholic 16.8% Mormon 3.8% other 4.2% unspecified 2.6% none 3% (2001 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.1%
15-64 years: 65% (male 3,737/female 3,499)
65 years and over: 9.9% (male 538/female 563) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 32 years
Male: 31.3 years
Female: 32.7 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: -3.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 229

Birth rate: 15.37 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 132

Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1000 population NA (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 121

Urbanization
Urban population: 75% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.048 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.81 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 114
Male: 19.24 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.21 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.7 years
Rank: 93
Male: 71.91 years
Female: 77.62 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 93

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 1.1764 physicians/1000 population (2004)
Rank: 94

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95%
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2010)

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

Government type: self-governing 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)

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 first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution: 4 August 1965

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II represented by Sir Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John CARTER (since 29 July 2011)
Head of government: Prime Minister Henry PUNA (since 30 November 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the UK representative appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner 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: bicameral Parliament consists of a House of Ariki or upper house made up of traditional leaders and a Legislative Assembly or lower house (24 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers
Elections: last held on 17 November 2010 (next to be held by 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CIP 16 Demo 8

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS FAO ICAO ICRM IFAD IFRCS IMO IMSO IOC ITUC 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: 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 anthem
Name: 'Te Atua Mou E'
Lyricsmusic: 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

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 employing more than one-quarter of the working population provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. 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: $183.2 million (2005 est.)
Rank: 215

Real gdp growth rate: 0.1% (2005 est.)
Rank: 186

Real gdp per capita: $9,100 (2005 est.)
Rank: 115

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.7%
Industry: 9.9%
Services: 78.5% (2008 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)
Rank: 145

Labor force: 6,820 (2001)
Rank: 217
By occupation agriculture: 29%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation services: 56% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 13.1% (2005)
Rank: 137

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $70.95 million
Expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
Surplus or deficit: 1% of GDP (FY05/06)
Surplus or deficit rank: 30

Taxes and other revenues: 38.7% of GDP (FY05/06)
Rank: 49

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.1% (2005 est.)
Rank: 66

Current account balance: $26.67 million (2005)
Rank: 60

Exports: $5.222 million (2005)
Rank: 216
Commodities: copra papayas fresh and canned citrus fruit coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Imports: $81.04 million (2005)
Rank: 212
Commodities: foodstuffs textiles fuels timber capital goods

Debt external: $141 million (1996 est.)
Rank: 182

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 31 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 208
Consumption: 29.76 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 208
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 172
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 166
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 84
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 109
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 127

Telephones
Main lines in use: 7,200 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 206
Mobile cellular: 7,800 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 212

Telephone system
General assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing Internet email fax and Telex
Domestic: 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: 1 privately-owned TV station broadcasts from Rarotonga providing a mix of local news and overseas-sourced programs; a satellite program package is available; 6 radio stations broadcast with 1 reportedly reaching all of the islands (2009)

Internet
Country code: .ck
Hosts: 2,521 (2010)
Hosts rank: 150
Users: 6,000 (2009)
Users rank: 204

Airports: 10 (2010)
Rank: 157
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 9
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 320 km
Rank: 203
Paved: 33 km
Unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 34
Rank: 82
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 27 passenger 1 refrigerated cargo 5
Foreign owned: 23 (Egypt 1 Germany 1 Latvia 1 Lithuania 2 former Netherlands Antilles 1 Norway 6 NZ 1 Russia 1 Sweden 3 Turkey 4 UK 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Avatiu

Disputes international: none