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Cook Islands: Practical Info  |
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Government
 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
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
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)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 4 August (1965)
Constitution: 4 August 1965
Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (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 Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; 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
note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held NA June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1
note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party or CIP [Joe WILLIAMS]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [leader NA]
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
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
Economy
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. Efforts to exploit tourism potential, encourage offshore banking, and expand the mining and fishing industries have been partially successful in stimulating investment and growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $112 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 9%
services: 73% (1995)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 6,601 (1993)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% (1995)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: fruit processing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 15 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 14 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee
Exports: $4.2 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Exports - commodities: copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners: NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong (1993)
Imports: $85 million (c.i.f., 1994)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia (1993)
Debt - external: $141 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand furnishes the greater part
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January 2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 4,180 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 14,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 187 km
paved: 35 km
unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)
Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 7 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none |
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