1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 240 sq km land area: 240 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 1.3 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; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
23.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 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 (1995 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 (1995 est.)
Literacy
NA%
Nationality
noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Net migration rate
-6.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
19,343 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.13% (1995 est.)
Religions
Christian (majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church)
Total fertility rate
3.27 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Avarua
Constitution
4 August 1965
Digraph
CW
Diplomatic representation in US
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Representative of the Queen Apenera SHORT (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 1 February 1989) cabinet: Cabinet; collectively responsible to the 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)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
AsDB, ESCAP (associate), ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands
National holiday
Constitution Day, 4 August
Parliament
elections last held 24 March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (25 total) Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, 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; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena JONASSEN; Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka SADARAKA; Alliance Party, Norman GEORGE
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
accounts for 12% of GDP, export crops - copra, citrus fruits, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops - yams, taro
Budget
revenues: $38 million expenditures: $34.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Currency
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $128 million; in 1994, Cook Islands received $4.3 million in budget support and $2.7 million in project aid from New Zealand, the country's largest source of aid
Electricity
capacity: 14,000 kW production: 21 million kWh consumption per capita: 741 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5601 (January 1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990)
Exports
$3.4 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing partners: NZ 80%, Japan
External debt
$124 million (1994)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$50 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber partners: NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US
Industrial production
growth rate NA%; accounts for 5% of GDP
Industries
fruit processing, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.2% (1990)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $57 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$3,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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, largely from New Zealand. Current economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and expanding the fishing industry.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: 11,000
Telephone system
2,052 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 1 televisions: 17,000 (1989)
Transportation
Airports
total: 7 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
Highways
total: 187 km paved: 35 km unpaved: gravel 35 km; improved earth 84 km; unimproved earth 33 km (1980)
Merchant marine
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT
Ports
Avarua, Avatiu
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand ________________________________________________________________________ CORAL SEA ISLANDS (territory of Australia)