Cook Islands - CK - COK - COK - Australia and Oceania

self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs and conducts its own international relations, including establishing diplomatic relationships with foreign countries; New Zealand has a constitutional responsibility to respond to requests for assistance with foreign affairs, disasters, and defense from the Government of the Cook Islands

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

note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Cook Islands

0-14 years: 18.2% (male 738/female 671)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,634/female 2,479)

65 years and over: 16% (2024 est.) (male 608/female 631)

21 14 S, 159 46 W

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

tropical cyclones (November to March)

1.3 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Polynesians from Tahiti were probably the first people to settle Rarotonga -- the largest of the Cook Islands -- around A.D. 900. Over time, Samoans and Tongans also settled in Rarotonga, and Rarotongans voyaged to the northern Cook Islands, settling Manihiki and Rakahanga. Pukapuka and Penrhyn in the northern Cook Islands were settled directly from Samoa. Prior to European contact, there was considerable travel and trade between inhabitants of the different islands and atolls, but they were not united in a single political entity. Spanish navigators were the first Europeans to spot the northern Cook Islands in 1595, followed by the first landing in 1606, but no further European contact occurred until the 1760s. In 1773, British explorer James COOK spotted Manuae in the southern Cook Islands, and Russian mapmakers named the islands after COOK in the 1820s. 

Fearing France would militarily occupy the islands as it did in Tahiti, Rarotongans asked the UK for protectorate status in the 1840s and 1860s, a request the UK ignored. In 1888, Queen MAKEA TAKAU of Rarotonga formally petitioned for protectorate status, to which the UK reluctantly agreed. In 1901, the UK placed Rarotonga and the rest of the islands in the New Zealand Colony, and in 1915, the Cook Islands Act organized the islands into one political entity. It remained a protectorate until 1965, when New Zealand granted the Cook Islands self-governing status. The Cook Islands has a great deal of local autonomy and is an independent member of international organizations, but it is in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for its defense and foreign affairs. In September 2023, the US recognized the Cook Islands as a sovereign and independent state.

limited land presents solid and liquid waste disposal problems; soil degradation; deforestation; environmental degradation due to use of pesticides; improper disposal of pollutants; overfishing and destructive fishing practices; over-dredging of lagoons and coral rubble beds; unregulated building

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

fish, ships, garments, shellfish (2023)

note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

none

coconuts, vegetables, papayas, pork, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fruits, mangoes/guavas, watermelons, chicken (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

no regular military forces; Cook Islands Police Service

revenues: $113.674 million (2022 est.)

expenditures: $129.088 million (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

name: Avarua

geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: translates as "two harbors" in Maori

ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, additive manufacturing machines (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March

120 km

history: 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964)

amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state’s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
1.628 (2023 est.)
1.577 (2022 est.)
1.414 (2021 est.)
1.542 (2020 est.)
1.518 (2019 est.)

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Catherine GRAHAM (since 8 September 2024)

head of government: Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

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

4 August 1965 (Cook Islands became self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)

fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions) 

judge selection and term of office: High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms

subordinate courts: justices of the peace

note: appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 7.9% (2022 est.)

arable land: 2.1% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 5.8% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest: 65% (2022 est.)

other: 27.1% (2022 est.)

common law similar to New Zealand common law

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 24 (directly elected)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 8/1/2022

parties elected and seats per party: CIP (12); Demo (5); Cook Islands United Party (3); OCI (1); independent (3)

percentage of women in chamber: 25%

expected date of next election: 2026

note: the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the King's representative, serves as a consultative body to the Parliament

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965)

noun: Cook Islander(s)

adjective: Cook Islander

coconuts (copra)

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

high-income self-governing New Zealand territorial economy; tourism-based activity but diversifying; severely curtailed by COVID-19 pandemic; copra and tropical fruit exporter; Asian Development Bank aid recipient

Cook Islands Party or CIP
Cook Islands United Party 
Democratic Party or Demo
One Cook Islands Movement or OCI

18 years of age; universal

general assessment: demand for mobile broadband is increasing due to mobile services being the primary and most wide-spread source for Internet access across the region; Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, and fax; individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone (2020)

domestic: service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable; nearly 41 per 100 fixed-line and about 100 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

international: country code - 682; the Manatua submarine cable to surrounding islands of Niue, Samoa, French Polynesia and other Cook Islands, the topography of the South Pacific region has made Internet connectivity a serious issue for many of the remote islands; submarine fiber-optic networks are expensive to build and maintain; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

parliamentary democracy

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

the Cook Islands have a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within its designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2024)

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Hervey Islands

etymology: named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Oceania

NA

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

percent of population: 64.8% (2021 est.)

.ck

$336 million (2022 est.)

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 14 years (2012)

urban population: 76.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

1 privately owned TV station broadcasts from Rarotonga providing a mix of local news and overseas-sourced programs (2019)

improved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

name: "Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty)

lyrics/music: Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS

note: adopted 1982; as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem; his wife, a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration (New Zealand normally retains responsibility for external affairs); accepts ICCt jurisdiction

1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

a circle of 15, five-pointed, white stars on a blue field, Tiare maori (Gardenia taitensis) flower; national colors: green, white

most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga

E5

improved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 99.1% of population

unimproved:

urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)

Cook Island Maori 77.4%, part Cook Island Maori 8.3%, Fijian 3.6%, New Zealand Maori/European 3.4%, Filipino 2.9%, other Pacific Islands 1.8%, other 2.6% (2021 est.)

Protestant 55% (Cook Islands Christian Church 43.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Assemblies of God 3.6%), Roman Catholic 16.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 3.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.2%, Apostolic Church 2.1%, other 4.5%, none/unspecified 15.6% (2021 est.)

English (official) 86.4%, Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan) (official) 76.2%, other 8.3% (2011 est.)

note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

highest point: Te Manga 652 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

NA

3.2% of GDP (2020)

total dependency ratio: 51.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 27.6 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 24.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 4.1 (2024 est.)

NZ 44%, Italy 26%, Fiji 9%, China 7%, Australia 3% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Japan 33%, Thailand 15%, Greece 15%, France 11%, China 8% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

imports: 1 metric tons (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 60.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 700 bbl/day (2023 est.)

0.99 (2024 est.)

42.6% (2023 est.)

total ports: 1 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 0

small: 0

very small: 1

ports with oil terminals: 1

key ports: Avatiu

-25.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total: 41.1 years (2024 est.)

male: 40.7 years

female: 41.4 years

2.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)

total: 7,761 (2024 est.)

male: 3,980

female: 3,781

103,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 103,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total : 236 sq km

land: 236 sq km

water: 0 sq km

$266 million (2022 est.)
$257 million (2021 est.)
$287 million (2020 est.)

note: data are in 2015 dollars

10 (2025)

total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 17,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

$15,600 (2022 est.)
$15,100 (2021 est.)
$16,800 (2020 est.)

note: data are in 2015 dollars

total: 2,700 (2018 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2018 est.)

total: 24% (2020 est.)

male: 27.7% (2020 est.)

female: 20.3% (2020 est.)

55.9% (2016)

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

12.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

installed generating capacity: 17,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 37.5 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 3.2 million kWh (2023 est.)

total: 190 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 19, general cargo 44, oil tanker 58, other 69

NA

$215 million (2021 est.)

$31.4 million (2021 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

total subscriptions: 7,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2021 est.)

total: 12.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 7.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total population: 77.6 years (2024 est.)

male: 74.8 years

female: 80.6 years

10.5% (2022 est.)
-24.5% (2021 est.)
-5.2% (2020 est.)

4.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

-2.24% (2024 est.)