1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 240 km2 land area: 240 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Coastline
120 km
Environment
subject to typhoons from November to March
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 4% permanent crops: 22% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 74%
Location
Oceania, 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of 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
People and Society
Birth rate
23.4 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
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
24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
5,810 by occupation: agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, other 4% (1981)
Languages
English (official), Maori
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.14 years male: 69.2 years female: 73.1 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Net migration rate
-6.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
18,903 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.18% (1993 est.)
Religions
Christian (majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church)
Total fertility rate
3.32 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Avarua
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 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA February 1989)
Constitution
4 August 1965
Digraph
CW
Diplomatic representation in US
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
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
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)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament; note - the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
Member of
AsDB, ESCAP (associate), ICAO, IOC, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands
National holiday
Constitution Day, 4 August
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
Political parties and leaders
Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent INGRAM; Democratic Party, Terepai MAOATE; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena JONASSEN; Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka SADARAKA
Suffrage
universal adult at age NA
Type
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)
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 $NA (1990 est.)
Currency
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 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 - 1.9490 (January 1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7266 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988)
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
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% (1988)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $40 million (1988 est.)
National product per capita
$2,200 (1988 est.)
National product real growth rate
5.3% (1986-88 est.)
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
total: 7 usable: 7 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5
Highways
187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth
Merchant marine
1 cargo ship (1,000 or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT
Ports
Avatiu
Telecommunications
broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 11,000 radio receivers; 17,000 TV receivers (1989); 2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand