|
Home
World
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua Barbuda
Arctic Ocean
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ashmore Cartier Isle
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Baker Island
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bassas da India
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Rep
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
Cocos
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo Republic
Cook Islands
Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europa Island
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Antarctic Lands
Gabon
Gambia
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard McDonald Isle
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan
Juan de Nova Island
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
Jan Mayen
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
N Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pacific Ocean
Pakistan
Palau
Palmyra Atoll
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
St Helena
St Kitts Nevis
St Lucia
St Pierre Miquelon
St Vincent Grenadines
Samoa
Sandwich Islands
San Marino
Sao Tome Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
S Ocean
Spain
Spratly Islands
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad Tobago
Tromelin Island
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Guide
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. |
| 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 |
...
|
