Cook Islands

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. <br><br>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.

Land

236 sq km

Total

236 sq km

Water

0 sq km

1.3 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

120 km

North America

Highest point

Te Manga 652 m

Lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

21 14 S, 159 46 W

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

NA

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

7.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

Forest

65% (2023 est.)

Other

27.1% (2023 est.)

No

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

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/9D3hTeA3qKaRT7S16

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1216719

Oceania

Continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

tropical cyclones (November to March)

coconuts (copra)

most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga

Caribbean

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

UTC-04:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

7.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

12.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

11.85 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

53.2% (2021 est.)

9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

55 per 1,000

adult male

135 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

25.5 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.9 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

53 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

27.4 (2025 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: NA

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: NA

Unimproved: rural

rural: NA

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.2% national budget (2025 est.)

5 % of GDP

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.)

0.97 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.2% of GDP (2020)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

11.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

8.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

19 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

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

languages

English, Dutch, Papiamento

note

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

number of languages

3

Female

80.6 years

Male

74.8 years

Total population

77.6 years (2024 est.)

0 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

41.4 years

Male

40.7 years

Total

41.5 years (2025 est.)

13 births/1,000 women 15-19

Adjective

Cook Islander

Noun

Cook Islander(s)

-23.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

55.9% (2016)

1.67 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Female

3,702

Male

3,890

Total

7,592 (2025 est.)

-2.15% (2025 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.)

Improved: total

total: 96.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.)

Female

15 years (2023 est.)

Male

15 years (2023 est.)

Total

15 years (2023 est.)

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

At birth

1.04 male(s)/female

Total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

20.1% (2025 est.)

Male

28.6% (2025 est.)

Total

24% (2025 est.)

1.99 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

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

Urban population

76.2% of total population (2023)

Etymology

translates as "two harbors" in Maori

Geographic coordinates

21 12 S, 159 46 W

Name

Avarua

Time difference

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/cw.svg

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&rsquo;s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

History

4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964)

alternative spellings

CW, Curacao, Kòrsou, Country of Curaçao, Land Curaçao, Pais Kòrsou

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

Cook Islands

Etymology

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

FIFA code

CUW

Former

Hervey Islands

local long form (eng)

Country of Curaçao

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&nbsp;

Embassy

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

Note

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

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

Cabinet

Cabinet chosen by the prime minister

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)

Election/appointment process

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

Head of government

Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020)

<strong>description:</strong> blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and a large circle of 15 five-pointed white stars (one for each island) centered in the right half of the flag

The flag of Curaçao shows a blue field, on which a horizontal yellow band below the center divides the flag. Two five-pointed white stars, the smaller above and to the left of the larger, appear in the canton.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/cw.svg

parliamentary democracy

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

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

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

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)&nbsp;

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

Note

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

Subordinate courts

justices of the peace

common law similar to New Zealand common law

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

2026

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Parliament

Most recent election date

8/1/2022

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

Number of seats

24 (directly elected)

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%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

the coat of arms was designed by Papa Motu Kora, a <em>mataiapo</em> (traditional chief) from the Matavera village in Rarotonga; the shield with a circle of 15 five-pointed white stars represents the protection of the people and the country; on each side of the shield is a flying fish (<em>maroro</em>) and a white tern (<em>kakaia</em>); a Rarotongan orator club above the fish represents local traditions, and a cross above the tern symbolizes Christianity; a red-feathered Ariki headdress (<em>pare kura</em>) at the top of the shield represents the country’s traditional ranking system

green, white

Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965)

a circle of 15 five-pointed white stars on a blue field, tiare maori flower (<em>Gardenia taitensis</em>)

Cook Islands Party or CIP<br>Democratic Party or Demo<br>One Cook Islands or OCI

Monday

18 years of age; universal

No

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

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$143.391 million (2022 est.)

Note

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

Revenues

$113.687 million (2022 est.)

code

ANG

name

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) [ƒ]

$-654,687,753

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

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.652 (2024 est.)

fish, ships, garments, shellfish (2023)

note

<strong>note:</strong> top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$154.81 million

agriculture

0.28%

industry

12.19%

services

72.3%

$409.077 million (2024 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$22,833

$3.63 billion

$22,590

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.9% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10.6% (2022 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> annual % change based on consumer prices

$5.1 billion

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$306.285 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$364.686 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$401.155 million (2024 est.)

5.03%

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-5.2% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-24.5% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

10.5% (2022 est.)

$32,693

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$19,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$25,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$29,800 (2024 est.)

$116.15 million

Imports

1 metric tons (2022 est.)

Consumption

37.5 million kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

5,029 kWh

Installed generating capacity

17,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.2 million kWh (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

60.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0%

nuclear

0%

renewable

18.26%

Solar

39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

5,650 kg of oil equivalent

Refined petroleum consumption

700 bbl/day (2023 est.)

2.8%

per 100 inhabitants

32 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2018 est.)

Total

2,700 (2018 est.)

1 privately owned TV station in Rarotonga provides a mix of local news and overseas-sourced programs (2019)

.ck

Percent of population

64.8% (2021 est.)

+599

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

6,990 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100

94 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

123 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

18,100 (2022 est.)

10 (2025)

E5

Right

By type

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

Total

190 (2023)

Key ports

Avatiu

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

0

Total ports

1 (2024)

Very small

1

CW

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request<br><br>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 (2025)

no regular military forces; Cook Islands Police Service

From petroleum and other liquids

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

Total emissions

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

solid- and liquid-waste disposal; soil degradation; deforestation; 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

7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

0 % of total land area

18 % of total