| 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 |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
21 14 S, 159 46 W |
| Area: |
total:
240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
1.3 times the
size of Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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 |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 78% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons
(November to March) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Population: |
20,611 (July 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
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, in consultation with
the Cook Islands |
| Government
type: |
self-governing
parliamentary democracy |
| 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 Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High
Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998),
representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terepai
MAOATE (since 18 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister
Norman GEORGE (since NA)
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 party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime
minister
note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands
Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the
resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led
a minority government since October 1999 when the New
Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and
joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP);
on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn
in as prime minister |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held NA 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, but has no legislative powers |
| Judicial
branch: |
High Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Cook Islands
People's Party or CIP [Tai CARPENTER]; 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, ESCAP
(associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory
user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, 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 |
| 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 made up for 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 - $100 million (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $5,000 (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
18%
industry: 9%
services: 73% (1995) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.6% (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
6,601 (1993) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 29%,
industry 15%, services 56% (1995) note - shortage of skilled
labor |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$25 million
expenditures: $23 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00) |
| Industries: |
fruit processing,
tourism, fishing |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
21 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
19.5 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
copra, citrus,
pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro,
coffee; pigs, poultry |
| Exports: |
$3 million
(f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copra, papayas,
fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and
pearl shells; clothing |
| Exports
- partners: |
Japan 42%, New
Zealand 25%, US 9%, Australia 9% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$85 million
(c.i.f., 1994) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
foodstuffs,
textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
NZ 70%, Australia
8% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$141 million
(1996 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$13.1 million
(1995); note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater
part |
| Currency: |
New Zealand
dollar (NZD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
New Zealand
dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863
(2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543
(1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31
March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
5,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
0 (1994) |
| 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: 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) |
| Televisions: |
4,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ck |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
3 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
320 km (1992)
paved: NA
unpaved: NA |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Avarua, Avatiu |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook
Islands and at its request |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
