from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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.
Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic 21 14 S, 159 46 W
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 236.7 sq km
land: 236.7 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural NEGL
resources:
Land use: arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural typhoons (November to March)
hazards:
Environment - NA
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
note: 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 sq km
People
Population: 21,388 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)
15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001
census)
Median age: total: 25.3 years
male: 24.7 years
female: 25.9 years (2001 census)
Population -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Sex ratio: 107 male(s)/female (2001 census)
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA
expectancy at male: NA
birth: female: NA
Total 3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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%
People - note: 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands
Dependency self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
status: Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs;
New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Government self-governing parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative none
divisions:
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 Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
holiday:
Constitution: 4 August 1965
Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9
February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John
BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), 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 bicameral Parliament consisting of a lower house or
branch: Legislative Assembly with 25 seats (24 seats
representing districts of the Cook Islands and one seat
representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
an upper house or House of Ariki made up of traditional
leaders
elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held
by 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Demo
51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party -
Demo 15, CIP 7, independent 1; note - one seat tied,
resolution pending by-election
note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters
and maintains considerable influence, but has no
legislative powers
Judicial High Court
branch:
Political Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic
parties and Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
leaders:
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC,
organization OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
participation:
Diplomatic none (self-governing in free association with New
representation Zealand)
in the US:
Diplomatic none (self-governing in free association with New
representation Zealand)
from the US:
Flag blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed
stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half
of the flag
Economy
Economy - Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
overview: 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
about 70% of the working population, provides the
economic base with major exports made up of copra and
citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Island's
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.
GDP $183.2 million (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $183.2 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 0.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $9,100 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 15.1%
composition by industry: 9.6%
sector: services: 75.3% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 6,820 (2001)
Labor force - agriculture: 29%
by occupation: industry: 15%
services: 56% (1995)
Unemployment 13.1% (2005)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 2.1% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $70.95 million
expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital
expenditures of $5.744 million (FY00/01 est.)
Agriculture - copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,
products: bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Industries: fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,
handicrafts
Industrial 1% (2002)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 28 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 34.46 million kWh (2005 est.)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $26.67 million
account
balance:
Exports: $5.222 million (2005)
Exports - copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;
commodities: fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004)
partners:
Imports: $81.04 million (2005)
Imports - foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
commodities:
Imports - New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan
partners: 2% (2004)
Debt - $141 million (1996 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish
recipient: the greater part (1995)
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD)
(code):
Currency code: NZD
Exchange New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),
rates: 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 6,200 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1,500 (2002)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
system: 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 AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 14,000 (1997)
Television 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet .ck
country code:
Internet 1,456 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 3 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 3,600 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 9 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)
runways:
Airports - total: 7
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2003)
Merchant total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/51,900 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated
cargo 3
foreign-owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006)
Ports and Avatiu
terminals:
Military
Military no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and
branches: Disaster Management (2005)
Military - defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
note: consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: