Overview:
Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export earners are
fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to a
fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic
development is hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign
markets and a lack of natural resources and good transportation links.
A large trade deficit is annually made up for by remittances from
emigrants and from foreign aid, largely from New Zealand. Current
economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential
and expanding the fishing industry.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $57 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$3,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.2% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$38 million
expenditures:
$34.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
$3.4 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing
partners:
NZ 80%, Japan
Imports:
$50 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber
partners:
NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%; accounts for 5% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
14,000 kW
production:
21 million kWh
consumption per capita:
1,170 kWh (1990)
Industries:
fruit processing, tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 12% of GDP, export crops - copra, citrus fruits,
pineapples, tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops - yams, taro
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $128 million
Currency:
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.7771 (January 1994), 1.8495
(1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
@Cook Islands, Communications
Highways:
total:
187 km
paved:
35 km
unpaved:
gravel 35 km; improved earth 84 km; unimproved earth 33 km (1980)
Ports:
Avatiu
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT
Airports:
total:
7
usable:
7
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 11,000 radio receivers; 17,000
TV receivers (1989); 2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth
station
@Cook Islands, Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
@Coral Sea Islands
Header Affiliation: (territory of Australia)
@Coral Sea Islands, Geography
Location: Southwestern Oceania, just off the northeast coast of Australia in the Coral Sea Map references: Oceania Area: total area: less than 3 sq km land area: less than 3 sq km comparative area: NA note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million sq km, with Willis Islets the most important Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,095 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: no permanent fresh water resources natural hazards: subject to occasional tropical cyclones international agreements: NA Note: important nesting area for birds and turtles
@Coral Sea Islands, People