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Home ----
Oceania
( C
) ----
Cook Islands(self-governing in
free association with New Zealand) |
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National Map
Of |
Cook Islands |
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National Flag
Of |
Cook Islands |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Cook Islands |
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National Anthem
Of |
Cook Islands |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Cook Islands |
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Background:
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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:
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Oceania,
group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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21 14 S,
159 46 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total:
240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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1.3 times
the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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120 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin |
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Climate:
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tropical;
moderated by trade winds |
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Terrain:
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low coral
atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 69.57% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons
(November to March) |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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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:
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21,388
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
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Population growth rate:
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NA |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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Cook
Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori
5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) |
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Religions:
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Cook
Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%,
Seventh Day Saint 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints
3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified
2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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English
(official), Maori |
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Literacy:
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definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands |
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Dependency status:
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self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs;
New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands |
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Government type:
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self-governing parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Avarua
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Administrative divisions:
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none |
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Independence:
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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) |
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) |
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Constitution:
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4 August
1965 |
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Legal system:
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based on
New Zealand law and English common law |
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Suffrage:
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NA years
of age; universal adult |
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Executive branch:
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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 Terepai
MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)
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 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
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 |
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Judicial branch:
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High
Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP,
AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$105
million (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.1%
(2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 17%
industry: 7.8%
services: 75.2% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force:
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8,000
(1996) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
note: shortage of skilled labor (1995) |
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Unemployment rate:
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13%
(1996) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2%
(2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital
expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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copra,
citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas,
yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
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Industries:
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fruit
processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1% (2002)
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Electricity - production:
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27
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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25.11
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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450
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Exports:
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$9.1
million (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copra,
papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish;
pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
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Exports - partners:
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Australia
34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$50.7
million (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
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Imports - partners:
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New
Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2%
(2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$141
million (1996 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$13.1
million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the
greater part (1995) |
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Currency (code):
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New
Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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Currency code:
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NZD |
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Exchange rates:
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New
Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221
(2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April -
31 March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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6,200
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,500
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Radios:
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14,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (outer
islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) |
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Televisions:
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4,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ck |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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3 (2000)
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Internet users:
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3,600
(2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2000) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Avatiu
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Merchant marine:
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total:
1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005) |
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Airports:
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9 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no
regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster
Management (2004) |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation
with the Cook Islands and at its request |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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