Cook Islands Hotels Resorts and Beachfront Property

The National Capital of Cook Islands is: Avarua
Cook Islands Area in Square Kilometers: 240.0
Population Statistics of Cook Islands are: 21388
Cook Islands is located in the continent of Oceania. The Oceania continent code is OC


Largest Populated Areas in Cook Islands :

Rakahanga Atoll Population Density - 169
Rakahanga Island Population Density - 169
Reirson Island Population Density - 169
Motugaugau Population Density - 72
Nassau Population Density - 72
Nassau Island Population Density - 72
Souworoff Population Density - 2
Suvarov Population Density - 2
Suvorov Atoll Population Density - 2
Suvorov Islands Population Density - 2
Suwaroff Population Density - 2
Suwarrow Atoll Population Density - 2

Cook Islands

Anthem: Te Atua Mou E
God is Truth

Capital
(and largest city) Avarua
21�12′S, 159�46′W
Official languages English
Cook Islands Māori
Demonym Cook Islander
Government Constitutional monarchy
- Head of State Queen Elizabeth II
- Queen's Representative
Sir Frederick Goodwin
- Prime Minister Jim Marurai
Associated state
- Self-government in free association with New Zealand

4 August 1965
Area
- Total 236 km� (209th)
91 sq mi
Population
- Mar 2006 estimate 18,700 (218th (2005))
- 2001 census 18,027
- Density 76/km� (117th)
197/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
- Total $183.2 million (not ranked)
- Per capita $9,100 (not ranked)
Currency New Zealand dollar
(Cook Islands dollar also used) (NZD)
Time zone (UTC-10)
Internet TLD .ck
Calling code +682
The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Māori: Kūki 'Āirani) are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. The fifteen small islands in this South Pacific Ocean country have a total land area of 240 square kilometres (92.7 sq mi), but the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 1.8 million square kilometres (0.7 million sq mi) of ocean.[1]

The main population centres are on the island of Rarotonga (c.10,000), where there is an international airport. There is also a much larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand, particularly the North Island; in the 2006 census, 58,008 self-identified as being of ethnic Cook Island Māori descent.[2]

With over 90,000 visitors travelling to the islands in 2006, tourism is the country's number one industry, and the leading element of the economy, far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, marine and fruit exports.

Defence is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request. In recent times, the Cook Islands has adopted an increasingly independent foreign policy.


Politics
Main article: Politics of the Cook Islands
The politics of the Cook Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic associated state, whereby the Queen of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the Queen's Representative, is Head of State and the Chief Minister is the head of government. There is a pluriform multi-party system and the islands are self-governing in free association with New Zealand and fully responsible for both internal and external affairs. New Zealand no longer has any responsibility for external affairs. As of 2005, it has diplomatic relations in its own name with eighteen other countries. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of the Cook Islands.

The Cook Islands are not United Nations full members but participate in WHO and UNESCO.

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Cook Islands