Cook Islands

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

• 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

noun:

Cook Islander(s)

adjective:

Cook Islander

total:

41.5 years (2025 est.)

male:

40.7 years

female:

41.4 years

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

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

total population:

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

total:

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

male:

19 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

77.6 years (2024 est.)

male:

74.8 years

female:

80.6 years

total:

12.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

7.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

24% (2025 est.)

male:

28.6% (2025 est.)

female:

20.1% (2025 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

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

urban population:

76.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Cook Islands

former:

Hervey Islands

etymology:

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

• 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

name:

Avarua

geographic coordinates:

21 12 S, 159 46 W

time difference:

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

etymology:

translates as "two harbors" in Maori

history:

4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964)

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

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)

head of government:

Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020)

cabinet:

Cabinet chosen by the prime minister

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

legislature name:

Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

24 (directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

8/1/2022

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%

expected date of next election:

2026

note: 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

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)

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

subordinate courts:

justices of the peace

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

• Cook Islands Party or CIP
• Democratic Party or Demo
• One Cook Islands or OCI

• the coat of arms was designed by Papa Motu Kora, a mataiapo (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 ( maroro ) and a white tern ( kakaia );
• a Rarotongan orator club above the fish represents local traditions, and a cross above the tern symbolizes Christianity;
• a red-feathered Ariki headdress ( pare kura ) at the top of the shield represents the country’s traditional ranking system

title:

"Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty)

lyrics/music:

Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS

history:

• adopted 1982;
• as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem;
• Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki, his wife and a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics

title:

"God Save the King"

lyrics/music:

unknown

history:

royal anthem

• 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

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Avatiu