Cook Islands

§1. Cook Islands Introduction

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.

§2. Cook Islands Geography

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the
  way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 240 km²
  land: 240 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - 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; moderated by trade winds

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  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)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
    Desertification, Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  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

§3. Cook Islands People

Population:
  21,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

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

Religions:
  Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day
  Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%,
  other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Maori

Literacy:
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

§4. Cook Islands Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:
  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

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, first Monday in August (1965)

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
    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

Legislative branch:
  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

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]; Cook Islands People's
  Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]; Democratic
  Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman
  GEORGE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation 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

§5. Cook Islands Economy

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 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $105 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 7.8%
  services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  8,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
  note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  13% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $28 million
  expenditures: $27 million; including capital expenditures of $3.3 million
    (FY00/01 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)

Electricity - production:
  28 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  26.04 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  400 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $9.1 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and
  pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:
  Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004)

Imports:
  $50.7 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part
  (1995)

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221
  (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

§6. Cook Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  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)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Internet country code:
  .ck

Internet hosts:
  542 (2005)

Internet users:
  3,600 (2002)

§7. Cook Islands Transportation

Airports:
  9 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 320 km
  paved: 33 km
  unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,701 GRT/6,488 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Norway 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Avatiu

§8. Cook Islands Military

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster Management
  (2004)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook
  Islands and at its request

§9. Cook Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
