Cook Islands

Agriculture-products

copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$160 million (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: roughly $16 million annually, 1985-95, with New Zealand furnishing 88% of the total

Economy-overview

Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit-processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In 1996, the government declared bankruptcy, citing a $120 million public debt. Efforts to exploit tourism potential and expanding the mining and fishing industries have not been enough to adequately deal with the financial crisis. In an effort to stem further erosion of the economy, the government slashed public service salaries by 50%, condensed the number of government ministries from 52 to 22, reduced the number of civil servants by more than half, began selling government assets, and closed all overseas diplomatic posts except for the one in New Zealand.

Electricity-capacity

6,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

775 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

15 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January 1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993)

Exports

total value: $4.2 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: copra, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing partners: NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong (1993)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$79 million (1994 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 17% industry: 6% services: 77% (FY90/91)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$4,000 (1994 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $85 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia (1993)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fruit processing, tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.6% (1994 est.)

Labor force

total: 6,601 (1993) by occupation: agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, other 4% (1981)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1

Radios

13,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

4,180 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

1 studio and 8 low-powered repeaters achieve good coverage on the island of Rarotonga

Televisions

3,500 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 240 sq km land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative

1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coastline

120 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Environment-current issues

NA

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

21 14 S, 159 46 W

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 78% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

typhoons (November to March)

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

none

Constitution

4 August 1965

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands

Data code

CW

Dependency status

self-governing 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February 1989) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; the queen's representative is appointed by the queen; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister

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

Government type

self-governing parliamentary democracy

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)

International organization participation

AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Judicial branch

High Court

Legal system

based on New Zealand law and English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2 note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers

National capital

Avarua

National holiday

Constitution Day, 4 August

Political parties and leaders

Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Party, Sir Thomas DAVIS; Democratic Alliance Party, Norman GEORGE

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Military-note

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

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

22.52 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Infant mortality rate

24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), Maori

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.14 years male: 69.2 years female: 73.1 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander

Net migration rate

-6.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

19,989 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.06% (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)

Total fertility rate

3.19 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none CORAL SEA ISLANDS (territory of Australia)

Airports

7 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 187 km paved: 35 km unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT (1997 est.)

Ports and harbors

Avarua, Avatiu

Railways

0 km