| Cook Islands |
Flag:
 |
Map:
 |
| 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 and Environmental |
Capital: name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Area Total: 236.7 sq km |
| Area Land: 236.7 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 120 km |
| 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 Extremes Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean 0 m |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Te Manga 652 m |
| Natural Resources: NEGL |
| Land Use Arable Land: 16.67% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 8.33% |
| Land Use Other: 75% (2005) |
| Irrigated Land: NA |
| Natural Hazards: typhoons (November to March) |
| Environment Current Issues: NA |
| Geography Note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely 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 |
| Population |
| Population: 21,750 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388) |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395) |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census) |
| Median Age Total: 25.3 years |
| Median Age Male: 24.7 years |
| Median Age Female: 25.9 years (2001 census) |
| Population Growth Rate: -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census) |
| Birth Rate: 21 births/1,000 population (2001 census) |
| Death Rate: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: NA |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: NA |
| Total Fertility Rate: 3.1 children born/woman (2001 census) |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| 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 |
| Literacy Total Population: 95% |
| Literacy Male: NA% |
| Literacy Female: NA% |
| Administrative Divisions: none |
| Legal System: based on New Zealand law and English common law |
| 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, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' 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 Purchasing Power Parity: $183.2 million (2005 est.) |
| GDP Real Growth Rate: 0.1% (2005 est.) |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 15.1% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: 9.6% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Services: 75.3% (2004) |
| Labor Force: 6,820 (2001) |
Labor Force By Occupation: agriculture: 29%
industry: 15%
services: 56% (1995) |
| Unemployment Rate: 13.1% (2005) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 2.1% (2005 est.) |
| Industries: fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: 1% (2002) |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: 28 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: 100% |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: 26.04 million kWh (2004 est.) |
| Electricity Exports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Imports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil Production: 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil Consumption: 420 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Exports: $5.222 million (2005) |
| Exports Commodities: copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
| Exports Partners: Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2004) |
| Imports: $81.04 million (2005) |
| Imports Commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
| Imports Partners: NZ 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) |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 6,200 (2002) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 1,500 (2002) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex |
| Telephone System 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 |
| Telephone System International: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Radios: 14,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) |
| Televisions: 4,000 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 3 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 3,600 (2002) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 9 (2006) |
| Disputes International: none |