Branches:
Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 551,151; fit for military service 280,372; reach
military age (20) annually 24,441 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Cook Islands
Header Affiliation: (free association with New Zealand)
@Cook Islands, Geography
Location: Oceania, Polynesia, 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 240 sq km land area: 240 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 120 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 22% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 74% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to typhoons (November to March) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
@Cook Islands, People
Population:
19,124 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.15% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
23.22 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-6.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
71.14 years
male:
69.2 years
female:
73.1 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.3 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Cook Islander(s)
adjective:
Cook Islander
Ethnic divisions:
Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%,
Polynesian and other 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Religions:
Christian (majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian
Church)
Languages:
English (official), Maori
Literacy:
total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
5,810
by occupation:
agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, other 4%
(1981)
@Cook Islands, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Cook Islands
Digraph:
CW
Type:
self-governing parliamentary government 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
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
Constitution:
4 August 1965
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
universal adult at age NA
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Representative of the
Queen Apenera SHORT (since NA); Representative of New Zealand Adrian
SINCOCK (since NA)
head of government:
Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY (since 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime
Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February 1989)
cabinet:
Cabinet; collectively responsible to the Parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament:
elections last held 24 March 1994 (next to be held NA); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (25 total) Cook Islands Party 20,
Democratic Party 3, Alliance Party 2
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, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Party, Sir Thomas
DAVIS; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena JONASSEN; Cook Islands People's
Party, Sadaraka SADARAKA; Alliance, Norman GEORGE
Member of:
AsDB, ESCAP (associate), ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, INTELSAT (nonsignatory
user), IOC, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
US diplomatic representation:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag:
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
@Cook Islands, Economy