Background: Polynesians from Tahiti were probably the first people to settle Rarotonga -- the largest of the Cook Islands -- around A.D. 900. Over time, Samoans and Tongans also settled in Rarotonga, and Rarotongans voyaged to the northern Cook Islands, settling Manihiki and Rakahanga. Pukapuka and Penrhyn in the northern Cook Islands were settled directly from Samoa. Prior to European contact, there was considerable travel and trade between inhabitants of the different islands and atolls, but they were not united in a single political entity. Spanish navigators were the first Europeans to spot the northern Cook Islands in 1595, followed by the first landing in 1606, but no further European contact occurred until the 1760s. In 1773, British explorer James COOK spotted Manuae in the southern Cook Islands, and Russian mapmakers named the islands after COOK in the 1820s. Fearing France would militarily occupy the islands as it did in Tahiti, Rarotongans asked the UK for protectorate status in the 1840s and 1860s, a request the UK ignored. In 1888, Queen MAKEA TAKAU of Rarotonga formally petitioned for protectorate status, to which the UK reluctantly agreed. In 1901, the UK placed Rarotonga and the rest of the islands in the New Zealand Colony, and in 1915, the Cook Islands Act organized the islands into one political entity. It remained a protectorate until 1965, when New Zealand granted the Cook Islands self-governing status. The Cook Islands has a great deal of local autonomy and is an independent member of international organizations, but it is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for its defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized the Cook Islands as a sovereign and independent state.

Area
Total: 236 km²
Land: 236 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 7.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 2.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 5.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 65% (2023 est.)
Other: 27.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

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

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

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: 51.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 27.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.2 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4.1 (2024 est.)

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.)

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.)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 0 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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.)

Drinking water source
Urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.)

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

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

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
Election/appointment process: 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
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 24 (directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 8/1/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: CIP (12); Demo (5); Cook Islands United Party (3); OCI (1); independent (3)
Percentage of women in chamber: 25%
Expected date of next election: 2026
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

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

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: royal anthem

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

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

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

Budget
Revenues: $113.687 million (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $143.391 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

Exports
Commodities: fish, ships, garments, shellfish (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, additive manufacturing machines (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 17,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 37.5 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.2 million kWh (2023 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 60.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 1 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 700 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 103,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 103,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

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.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 64.8% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 2,700 (2018 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2018 est.)

Airports: 10 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 190 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 19, general cargo 44, oil tanker 58, other 69