|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Oceania, group of
islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way
from Hawaii to New Zealand |
|
Map references:
|
Oceania |
|
Area:
|
total: 240
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 240 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
1.3 times the
size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
120 km |
|
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:
17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 69.57% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
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 |
|
Population:
|
21,200 (July 2004
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
NA% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
NA births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
NA deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
NA (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2004 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Cook
Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Polynesian (full
blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and
non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9% |
|
Religions:
|
Christian
(majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands
Christian Church) |
|
Languages:
|
English
(official), Maori |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
NA
total population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
|
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 |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High
Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New
Zealand
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
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON
(since 12 February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Ngamau MUNOKOA
(since 5 November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister;
collectively responsible to Parliament |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral
Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 June 1999 (next to be held by
NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
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
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] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
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) |
|
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 - real growth rate:
|
7.1% (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
17%
industry: 7.8%
services: 75.2% (2000 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.2% (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) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital
expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
fruit processing,
tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
1% (2002) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
27.43 million kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
25.51 million kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
450 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
copra, citrus,
pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro,
coffee; pigs, poultry |
|
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% (2000) |
|
Imports:
|
$50.7 million
(2000) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
foodstuffs,
textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
|
Imports - partners:
|
NZ 61%, Fiji 19%,
US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$141 million
(1996 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$13.1 million;
note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part
(1995) |
|
Currency:
|
New Zealand
dollar (NZD) |
|
Currency code:
|
NZD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
New Zealand
dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3776
(2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April - 31
March |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
6,200 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
1,500 (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: NA
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 2,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
2 (plus eight
low-power repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ck |
|
Internet users:
|
3,600 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
0 km |
|
Highways:
|
total: 320
km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2000) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Avarua, Avatiu |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 2
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2003
est.) |
|
Airports:
|
9 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook
Islands and at its request |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|