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Cook Islands Country Guide

Explore Cook Islands in Oceania

Cook Islands with the capital city Avarua is located in Oceania (Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 240 square kilometres (1.3 times the size of Washington, DC) with 21,388 citizens.

Interactive map of Cook Islands

The landscape offers low coral atolls in north with volcanic, hilly islands in south. The average density of population is approximately 89 per km². The notable climate conditions in Cook Islands can be described as tropical oceanic with moderated by trade winds and a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March. Potential threats by nature are typhoons (November to March).

To reach someone in Cook Islands dial +682 prior to a number. There are 6,900 installed telephones. And there are 7,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".ck". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 240V - 50Hz.

About the flag and history of Cook Islands

Cook Islands Flag Icon

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.


Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.

National administrative regions of Cook Islands



Geography Quick-Facts

SummaryContinent: Oceania
Neighbours:
Capital: Avarua
Size240 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 92 square miles (mi² or sqmi)
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Population21,388
CurrencyName Dollar, Currency Code:NZD
Country Top Level Domain (cTLD).ck
Telephone Country Prefix+682
Mobile Phone Connections7,000
Landline Phone Connections6,900

Country Position in World Rankings

Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).

Geography

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Area236 (sq km)215

People and Society

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Population10,447 225
Population growth rate-3.07 (%)232
Birth rate14.93 (births/1,000 population)133
Death rate7.66 (deaths/1,000 population)110
Infant mortality rate14.81 (deaths/1,000 live births)112
Life expectancy at birth75.15 (years)96
Total fertility rate2.31 (children born/woman)96
Health expenditures4.40 (% of GDP)158
Obesity - adult prevalence rate63.70 (%)3
Education expenditures3.20 (% of GDP)138

Economy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
GDP (purchasing power parity)183,200,000 220
GDP - real growth rate0.10 (%)179
GDP - per capita (PPP)9,100 125
Labor force6,820 219
Unemployment rate13.10 (%)135
Taxes and other revenues38.70 (% of GDP)48
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)1.00 (% of GDP)29
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2.20 (%)38
Stock of narrow money38,990,000 186
Stock of broad money148,200,000 188
Industrial production growth rate1.00 (%)131
Current account balance26,670,000 56
Exports5,222,000 217
Imports83,490,000 215
Debt - external141,000,000 188

Energy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Electricity - production31,130,000 (kWh)211
Electricity - consumption28,950,000 (kWh)211
Electricity - installed generating capacity8,090 (kW)205
Electricity - from fossil fuels98.90 (% of total installed capacity)59
Electricity - from other renewable sources1.10 (% of total installed capacity)70
Refined petroleum products - consumption974 (bbl/day)206
Refined petroleum products - imports485 (bbl/day)203
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy302,000 (Mt)188

Communications

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Telephones - main lines in use7,200 205
Telephones - mobile cellular7,800 211
Internet hosts3,562 150
Internet users6,000 205

Transportation

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Airports11 154
Roadways320 (km)204
Merchant marine35 81

Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases

List of current world heritage sites

NameSince