Cook Islands

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1

Radios

13,000 (1992 est.)

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 international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

4,180 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

1 studio and 8 low-powered repeaters to achieve good coverage on the island of Rarotonga

Televisions

3,500 (1995 est.) Defense

Agriculture

copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas, yams, taro

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: in 1994, Cook Islands received $5.4 million in budget support and $3.3 million in project aid from New Zealand, the country's largest source of aid

Economic overview

Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export earners are fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to a fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic development is hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign markets and a lack of natural resources and good transportation links. A large trade deficit is annually made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, largely from New Zealand. Current economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and expanding the mining and fishing industries. Despite these plans, the Cook Islands will continue to face severe financial problems.

Electricity

capacity: 14,000 kW production: 21 million kWh consumption per capita: 741 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5138 (January 1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991)

Exports

$3.4 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing partners: NZ 80%, Japan

External debt

$160 million (1994)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $57 million (1993 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$3,000 (1993 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$50 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber partners: NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fruit processing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.2% (1990)

Labor force

5,810 by occupation: agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, other 4% (1981)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total area: 240 sq km land area: 240 sq km comparative area: slightly more than one times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline

120 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons (November to March) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

21 14 S, 159 46 W

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 22% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 74%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

negligible

Terrain

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Avarua

Constitution

4 August 1965

Data code

CW

Diplomatic representation in US

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Darryl DUNN (since NA 1994), representative of New Zealand was appointed by the New Zealand Government head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February 1989) cabinet: Cabinet; collectively responsible to Parliament

Flag

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

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)

International organization participation

AsDB, ESCAP (associate), ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO

Judicial branch

High Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands

National holiday

Constitution Day, 4 August

Parliament

elections last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (25 total) Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2 note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers

Political parties and leaders

Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Party, Sir Thomas DAVIS; Democratic Alliance Party, Norman GEORGE

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Type of government

self-governing parliamentary government 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

US diplomatic representation

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

22.87 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Infant mortality rate

24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), Maori

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.14 years male: 69.2 years female: 73.1 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander

Net migration rate

-6.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

19,561 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.11% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian (majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church)

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.25 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 7 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 187 km paved: 35 km unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT (1995 est.)

Ports

Avarua, Avatiu

Railways

0 km