Cook Islands
Country Guide

Explore Cook Islands

Cook Islands with its capital Avarua is located in Oceania (Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 237 square kilometers (1.3 times the size of Washington, DC) with a population of 9,290. English and Maori are the languages spoken by people in Cook Islands. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

The Cook Islands are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand, located in Polynesia, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770. The population of the Cook Islands is less than 15,000 but there are over 50,000 Cook Islanders living in New Zealand, and over 30,000 in Australia. Though the locals often go barefoot, it's not recommended beyond sandy beaches due to the sharp coral rocks. Most of the outer islands turn off the entire electric system (blackout) overnight. Bring a flashlight (torch) with batteries. There are five living languages in the Cook Islands with English and Cook Islands Maori the official languages. Cook Islands Maori is called Rarotongan after the capital island and is the most widely spoken version of Maori in the Islands. The Cook Islands use the New Zealand Dollar, but also issue their own banknotes and coinage, including the unusual $3 notes and the triangular $2 coins. Cook Islands money is only negotiable within the Cook Islands. Overall, much cheaper than nearby Tahiti, though anything imported will be expensive. This especially applies to fuel and to milk. Try the islands' ika mata (raw tuna) with coconut milk, finely chopped vegetables.

Popular Destinations in Cook Islands

Administrative regions of Cook Islands

About the country

The topography is low coral atolls in north with volcanic, hilly islands in south. The average density of population is about 39 per km². The climate in Cook Islands can be described as tropical oceanicmoderated by trade winds, a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March. Potential natural disasters are tropical cyclones (November to March).

To reach someone Cook Islands dial +682 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ck". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 240 V - 50 Hz (plugs: I). The sign for the locally used currency Dollar is NZD.

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.

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, government deficits, and limited natural resources are of continuing concern.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 212)	236	sq km
Land (World Rank: 209)	236	sq km
Comparative	1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
120
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 188)	652	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 200)	8.40	%
Arable (World Rank: 157)	4.20	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 62)	4.20	%
Map reference
Oceania
Environment
Issues	- environmental degradation due to unregulated building - limited land presents solid and liquid waste disposal problems
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Ozone Layer Protection
Hazzards	tropical cyclones (November to March)
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 221)	9,290
Deathrate (World Rank: 81)	0.84	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 138)	1.40	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 228)	-2.80	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 98)	2.19	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 71)	35.30
Female (World Rank: 75)	36.40
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 221)	1,036
0 14 female (World Rank: 221)	926
15 24 male (World Rank: 220)	826
15 24 female (World Rank: 221)	719
25 54 male (World Rank: 221)	1,767
25 54 female (World Rank: 221)	1,772
55 64 male (World Rank: 220)	603
55 64 female (World Rank: 221)	511
65 x male (World Rank: 220)	557
65 x female (World Rank: 222)	573
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 107)	1.35	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 94)	76	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 94)	79	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 100)	73	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 105)	1.19
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 51)	97.60	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 5)	50.00	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 42)	99.90	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 208)	34,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 208)	31,620,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 31)	99.50	%
Source renew (World Rank: 143)	0.50	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 208)	530	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 203)	528	bbl / day
Carbon footprint
200000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 107)	4	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 176)	3	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 10)	4	% of GDP
National symbol
white stars on a blue field
National colours
white
Adjective
Cook Islander
Noun
Cook Islander(s)
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, government deficits, and limited natural resources are of continuing concern.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 216)	244,100,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 186)	0.10	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 120)	12,300	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 127)	5.10	%
Source industry (World Rank: 192)	12.70	%
Source service (World Rank: 24)	82.10	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 215)	6,820
Products
Industries	- clothing - fishing - fruit processing - handicrafts - tourism
Agriculture	- bananas - beans - citrus - coffee - copra - pawpaws - pigs - pineapples - poultry - taro - tomatoes - yams
Exports	- canned citrus fruit - clothing - coffee - copra - fish - fresh - papayas - pearl shells - pearls
Imports	- capital goods - foodstuffs - fuels - textiles - timber

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Communication

Phone
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 4)	75.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 127)	105.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 210)	5,160
Population (World Rank: 111)	54.00	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 221)	1.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 133)	10.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 203)	320
Paved length (World Rank: 181)	33.00
Unpaved length (World Rank: 138)	287

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