Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand
Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. It has its own constitution, conducts its own foreign relations and is a member of several UN specialized agencies. Its people are New Zealand citizens; New Zealand provides assistance with defense and foreign affairs on request.
National Identity
- Official name
- Cook Islands
- Official name (in Cook Islands Māori)
- Kūki ‘Āirani
- Name etymology
named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777
Sources:- Constitution of the Cook Islands - 2022 Official Reprint ↗ - Parliament of the Cook Islands
- The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
- National anthem
- Te Atua Mou E1:05
- Title (in Cook Islands Māori)
- Te Atua Mou E
- Title (in English, translated)
- To God Almighty
- Lyrics
Te Atua mou e Ko koe rai te pu O te pa enua e Akarongo mai I to matou nei reo Te kapiki atu nei Paruru mai Ia matou nei Omai te korona mou Kia ngateitei Kia vai rai te aroa O te pa enua e.
Source: - Citizens
- Cook Islanders
- Official name:Constitution of the Cook Islands - 2022 Official Reprint ↗ - Parliament of the Cook Islands
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Coat of arms:Image credit
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
- Total area
- 236 km²
- Land area
- 236 km²
- Water area
- 0.00 km²
- Land borders
- None
- Coastline
- 120 km
- Terrain
Low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south - Highest point
- 652 mTe Manga
- Lowest point
- 0 mPacific Ocean
- Climate
Tropical oceanic moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March - Avg. temperature
- 24.9 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 24.2 to 25.5 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 1,766 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 26.7 26 25.3 241 February 27 26.3 25.6 207 March 27.1 26.4 25.7 214 April 26.6 26 25.3 174 May 25.7 25.1 24.4 151 June 24.8 24.2 23.6 78 July 24.2 23.6 23 101 August 23.9 23.3 22.7 81 September 24 23.4 22.9 77 October 24.5 23.9 23.3 104 November 25.4 24.8 24.2 125 December 26.1 25.5 24.8 213 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable2.1%Perm. crops5.8%Forest65.0%Other27.1%
- Arable land
- 500 hectares (2.1%)
- Permanent crops
- 1,400 hectares (5.8%)
- Forest
- 15,590 hectares (65.0%)
- Other land
- 6,510 hectares (27.1%)
Source:
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
Demographics
- Population change2026
- −3.29% per year−437 people/yearWorld Rank235thof 237
- Birth rate
- 10.4 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 10.4 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −32.6 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 38.1 yearsWorld Rank85thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years22.5%15-64 years62.0%65 years +15.6%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 15.6%
- Share aged under 18
- 28.6%
- Total dependency ratio
- 61
- Youth dependency ratio
- 36
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 25
- Sex ratio
- 0.95 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 1.2% 1.8% 70-79 3.3% 3.6% 60-69 6.3% 6.6% 50-59 6.8% 7.4% 40-49 5.6% 6.5% 30-39 4.2% 5.2% 20-29 4.6% 4.8% 10-19 10.0% 9.2% 0-9 6.8% 6.3% - 2026
- 0.13 below the replacement level for the Cook Islands ()1.97 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank112thof 237
- 0.94 daughters per woman0.06 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- 0.0 per 1,000 populationbirths and deaths are roughly equal
- 2026
- −32.6 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 77.2% live in 9,897 urban residents
- Largest districts2021latest available
- Avarua, Arorangi, Titikaveka, MataveraRankDistrict or VillagePopulation (2011 census)1Avarua5,1132Arorangi2,6613Titikaveka1,2764Matavera1,0185Ngatangiia7956Vaipae411(2011)7Amuri321(2011)8Nikaupara245(2011)9Te Makatea241(2011)10Tautu207(2011)Source:
- Cook Islands Statistics Office (2011 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- Most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga.
- Ethnic groups2021
- Cook Islands Maori77.4%Part Cook Island Maori8.3%Fijian3.6%New Zealand Maori/European3.4%Filipino2.9%Other Pacific Islands1.8%Other2.6%
- Religions2021
- Protestant55.0%Roman Catholic16.7%Church of Jesus Christ3.9%Jehovah's Witness2.2%Apostolic Church2.1%Other4.5%None/unspecified15.6%
- Protestant
- 55.0%
- Cook Islands Christian Church
- 43.1%
- Seventh Day Adventist
- 8.3%
- Assemblies of God
- 3.6%
Source:- The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Languages
- Cook Islands Māori (Māori Kūki ʻĀirani), English
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:Cook Islands Statistics Office (2011 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- Constitutional monarchyShared with New Zealand, with which it is in free association: the monarch in right of New Zealand is head of state.The monarch in right of New Zealand is head of state, represented by an appointed representative; a New Zealand Act makes the Islands self-governing, leaving external affairs and defence with the Crown in right of New Zealand (Act, ss. 3, 5; Arts. 2, 3).
- System of government
- ParliamentaryThe monarch's representative appoints as Prime Minister the member commanding a majority's confidence; Cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament, and an express no-confidence vote ends the Prime Minister's appointment unless a dissolution is granted instead (Arts. 13, 14, 37).
- Official websites
- Capital
- Avarua3,367 people(2021)
- National holidays
- 12 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- FriJan 2Day after New Year's Day
- FriApr 3Good Friday
- MonApr 6Easter Monday
- SatApr 25ANZAC Day
- MonJun 1Sovereign's Birthday
- FriJul 3Day of the House of Ariki
- TueAug 4Constitution Day
- MonOct 26Cook Islands Gospel Day
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
- SatDec 26Boxing Day
- MonDec 28Boxing Day (observed)
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- CKTCook Islands Standard TimeUTC−10
- Currency
- New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +682
- Internet TLD
- .ck
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- CK, COK
- Infrastructure
- Aircraft registration prefix
- E5
Source:- The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Form of state, System of government:Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964, with the Constitution of the Cook Islands as its Schedule, consolidated text, Laws of the Cook Islands ↗ - Cook Islands Government
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
Economy
- Agricultural products2024
- Papayas, Coconuts (in shell), Mangoes and guavas and mangosteens, and 4 more
- 1Papayas78.9×
- 2Coconuts (in shell)53.7×
- 3Mangoes and guavas and mangosteens8.1×
- 4Sweet potatoes6.6×
- 5Meat of pig with the bone (fresh or chilled)5×
- 6Tomatoes3×
- 7Watermelons1.2×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Industries
- fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
Society
- Internet users2016latest available
- 54% of the population
- Mobile subscriptions2016latest available
- 13,852
- Fixed telephone lines
- 6,502
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Inbound tourists2022
- Official tourism site113,600 arrivalsdown 34% against 201934% below 2019World Rank125thof 139
- Per resident
- 7.7 arrivals per resident
- Visitor spending in the country
- $43 million(2021, latest available)
- Residents' trips abroad
- 9,000 overnight trips
- Residents' spending abroad
- $22 million(2021, latest available)
- Hotel beds
- 5,604(2017, latest available)
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2022A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
Crime & Safety
- Homicide rate2012
- 3.6 per 100,000 peopleMedium by global standards
- Crime rates
- 1 offence category
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 3.6 1 2012 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2016
- 276.9 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 48
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 75.8 years
- Infant mortality2026
- 5.0 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 0 per 100,000 live births
- Tobacco use2022
- 29% of adults
- Men
- 33.3%
- Women
- 24.7%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.1 Mt per yearup 4.9 percent on the previous year4.9% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 5.9 t per personWorld Rank46thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 0.01 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 0.11 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 1.1 µg/m³ of PM2.5Most polluted228thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- 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
Source:- The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- International agreements
- 14 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 54 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement in force 2016 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1994 Kyoto Protocol in force 2005 Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 2004 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 2004 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity in force 1993 CITES not a party Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) in force 2006 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety signed 2001, not ratified Nagoya Protocol not a party Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands not a party World Heritage Convention in force 2009 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 1998 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention in force 2004 Rotterdam Convention (PIC) in force 2004 Stockholm Convention (POPs) in force 2004 Minamata Convention on Mercury not a party Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in force 1995 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) signed 2023, not ratified MARPOL 73/78 in force 2007 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Cook Islands - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 0.1% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 0 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 0 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 0% originates outside the country
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity2024
- 72.4% of adults
- Men
- 70.6%
- Women
- 73.9%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 132.2 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- Deficitproduces 3.6% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- No electricity trade0 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 0 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 0 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 795 b/d in 2024Consumption2024795 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
Defense
- Nuclear weapons2026
- None - no nuclear arsenal
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists