1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Coastline
120 km
Comparative area
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
subject to typhoons from November to March
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 4%; permanent crops 22%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 74%
Maritime claims
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or minimum of 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Note
located 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean
Terrain
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total area
240 km2; land area: 240 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
22 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and other 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Infant mortality rate
24 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, and other 4% (1981)
Language
English
Life expectancy at birth
67 years male, 72 years female (1991)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun--Cook Islander(s); adjective--Cook Islander
Net migration rate
- 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
NA
Population
17,882 (July 1991), growth rate 0.5% (1991)
Religion
Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church
Total fertility rate
3.5 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Avarua
Constitution
4 August 1965
Diplomatic representation
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Elections
Parliament--last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by January 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic Tumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9, independent 1
Executive branch
British monarch, representative of the UK, representative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
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
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
Judicial branch
High Court
Leaders
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Representative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA); Representative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA); Head of Government--Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY (since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA February 1989)
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament; note--the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
Long-form name
none
Member of
AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, IOC, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
National holiday
NA
Political parties and leaders
Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent INGRAM; Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke ROBATI; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena JONASSEN; Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka SADARAKA
Suffrage
universal adult at age NA
Type
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Economy
Agriculture
export crops--copra, citrus fruits, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops--yams, taro
Budget
revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $34.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Currency
New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $128 million
Electricity
14,000 kW capacity; 21 million kWh produced, 1,170 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6798 (January 1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Exports
$4.0 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing; partners--NZ 80%, Japan
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
GDP
$40.0 million, per capita $2,200 (1988 est.); real growth rate 5.3% (1986-88 est.)
Imports
$38.7 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber; partners--NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
fruit processing, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.0% (1988)
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 from foreign aid. Current economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and expanding the fishing industry.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
7 total, 6 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth
Ports
Avatiu
Telecommunications
stations--2 AM, no FM, no TV; 10,000 radio receivers; 2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand _%_