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Official Name - Cook Islands
Land Area - 240 sq km
Population - 19,569 (2006 census)
Religion - Christian: the majority of the population are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church
Capital City - Avarua, Rarotonga
Official Languages - Cook Islands Maori and English (official)
Currency - New Zealand Dollar
EEZ - 1,830,000 sq km
Political System - Parliamentary democracy
National government - The Government is comprised of the Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Hon Jim Marurai
Last election - 26 September 2006
Next election - To be advised
Head of State - The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the Head of State of the Cook Islands. There is a resident Queen's Representative,
HE Sir Fredrick Goodwin.
Head of Government - Hon Jim Marurai
Main political parties - Cook Islands Party and the Democratic Party
Nominal DP - NZ$284 million (FY 2006/07)
Real GDP growth (%) - 2.5% (FY 2006/07)
Exports (fob) - NZ$5.4 million (for year ending December 2006)
Imports (cif) - NZ$131 million (for year ending December 2006)
Main exports - Pearls: NZ$2.1 million; Fish: NZ$2 million (for year ending December 2006)
Consumer Price Inflation - 2.8% (for year 2006/07)
Gross External Debt - NZ$54 million (for year 2006/07)
NZ Exports (fob) - NZ$94 (year ending June 2007)
Main Exports - Petroleum oils, timber, meat, prefabricated buildings, motor vehicles and beverages (year ending June 2007)
NZ Imports (cif) - NZ$1,5 (year ending June 2007)
Main Imports - Pearls, melons and paw paw, fruit juices and clothing (year ending June 2007)
New Zealand and the Cook Islands have a special relationship founded on close historical ties, unique constitutional arrangements and a common citizenship and currency. The Cook Islands became a dependent territory of New Zealand in 1901 when it was annexed by New Zealand. In 1965, following an act of self-determination under United Nations auspices, the people of the Cook Islands adopted a Constitution for full self-government in free association with New Zealand. Free association is a status distinct from that of full independence as it allows the Cook Islands to maintain New Zealand citizenship. In 2005, the Cook Islands celebrated its 40th year of successful self-government, a celebration attended by the New Zealand Governor-General, Dame Silvia Cartwright.
The Cook Islands were settled in the 13th century by people from nearby islands, now part of French Polynesia, and from Samoa. The first recorded European to land on and survey the Cook Islands between 1773 and 1777 was Captain James Cook. Continuous European contact with the islands came with the introduction of Christianity and the arrival of representatives of the London Missionary Society. With the conversion of a number of important ariki (traditional leaders) support for Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Southern Group.
In 1888, acting on a petition from the principal ariki a Protectorate was declared over the Southern Group - then known as the Hervey Islands - by Britain. Protectorates were declared over several islands in the Northern Group in the early 1890s and the remaining islands subsequently annexed.
On 27 September 1900, the New Zealand Parliament approved the annexation of the islands to New Zealand. From 11 June 1901 the boundaries of New Zealand were extended to include the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands was administered by New Zealand as a dependent territory from 1901 to 1965 when, following an act of self-determination under UN auspices, the Cook Islands became self-governing in free association with New Zealand.
Population loss is of growing concern in the Cook Islands. Rarotonga is the most populated island comprising almost 70% of the population. The 2002 census indicated that the total population of the Cook Islands (18,027) and the resident population (14,990) had been falling since 1996. Provisional results from the 2006 census indicate a resurgence in total population (19,569), but figures on the resident population are yet to be released. The remote outer islands continue to experience a steady decline. Migration from the outer islandsto Rarotonga and from there to New Zealand and Australia is the most likely cause of the decreasing resident population. Emigrants are being replaced by foreign workers from Fiji and the Philippines, helping to fuel economic growth. The difference between total and resident populations is due to the presence of tourists, as well as expatriate and short-term residents.
The Cook Islands has a unicameral parliament with 24 elected members and a parliamentary term of four years. There is also a 15-member House of Ariki (Chiefs), established in 1966, composed of six Ariki from Rarotonga and nine from the outer islands. The Ariki advise the Government on land use and customary issues. There is full adult suffrage and although registration is compulsory, voting is not.
On 24 July 2006, after a period of political instability with a number of MPs breaking away from their parties, the Cook Islands’ Queens Representative dissolved the Cook Islands Parliament, to allow a fresh expression of the will of the people. A snap election was called for 26 September 2006. The Democratic Party retained power with an increased and substantial majority. the Cook Islans Party, lead by Tom Marsters forms the opposition, with two independent MPs.
The Prime Minister, Hon Jim Marurai, has indicated his intention to spearhead political reform during the remainder of his term, including placing limitations on the terms of office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, reducing the number of MPs and introducing a parliamentary code of conduct.
The Cook Islands economy has been growing steadily over recent years, with the country recovering swiftly from the devastation caused by a number of cyclones hitting the islands in 2005. GDP per capita is high compared to other economies in the region. The economy is underpinned by a strong tourism sector based in Rarotonga and Aitutaki. The remote outer islands population lead a largely subsistence lifestyle and outer islands development is a key priority for the current government. Economic growth is restrained by the geographical isolation and dispersion of small population centres amongst many remote islands. The distance of markets and high transport costs confine export activity and the country is vulnerable to external shocks and natural disasters.
The Cook Islands experienced a serious economic crisis in the mid-1990s, with GDP falling by 7% in the 1996/97 financial year. The crisis was a result of a combination of a large public service, high levels of foreign debt, a downturn in tourism due to a reduction in international airline services, adverse publicity as a result of French nuclear testing in the Pacific, and an outbreak of dengue fever. The government implemented a wide-ranging programme to address basic structural weaknesses in the economy and negotiated a debt-restructuring package. By February 2006, the Cook Islands government had successfully negotiated a deal to write off foreign debt of NZ$47 million, incurred during that period, with a cash payment of only NZ$13 million.
Tourism is vital to the Cook Islands economy and it is estimated to account for around 40% of GDP. Visitor numbers grew by around 5% in 2006/07 and are at record levels (96,275). New Zealanders make up the largest proportion of visitors (58%). The introduction of low-cost airfares from New Zealand grew the industry significantly over the last two years. The Cook Islands government recently launched a new tourism branding and marketing exercise, aimed at increasing levels of tourism from Australia and the Northern Hemisphere.
The marine resources sector is the larget export earner for the Cook Islands. The pearl industry is important to the economic development of the remote Northern islands. Pearl exports earned $2.1 million in 2006, compared to $1.6 million in the previous year. Improvements in farming techniques are expected to boost export earnings to $2.7 million in 2007-08. Fishing earnings have continued to decline over the last few years. There are two separate fishing fleets in the Cook Islands. The northern fleet, recently expanded to 20 vessels, lands its catch at the nearby canneries in Pagopago. The southern fleet, consisting of 7 boats, offloads in Rarotonga and provides fish for domestic consumption (including by the tourism industry) and export. Fish exports fell to $2 million in 2006-07, compared to $4.3 million in 2004-05, due to lower catch volumes, the high NZ dollar and strong domestic demand.
Agriculture production which was hit hard by the 2005 cyclones is now recovering and was valued at $15.3 million in 2006. Solid tourism growth and the (slowly) growing local population, combined with the high cost of freighted goods, are expanding the market for fresh produce. Competition for land use on Rarotonga could constrain agricultural growth in the future – as land is divided with each generation, traditional fertile agricultural land is being used for commercial/residential purposes. This could create an opportunity for the outer islands to ‘export’ agricultural product to Rarotonga, but only if inter-island shipping becomes more efficient. Most agricultural production is consumed locally with the two main exports, pawpaw and maire (flowers used in garlands) valued at only $263,000 and $30,000 respectively in 2006. In March 2002, the Cook Islands made a commitment under the OECD Harmful Tax Practices Initiative to improve the transparency of its tax and regulatory systems, and establish effective exchange of information for tax matters with OECD countries. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) listed the Cook Islands as a non-cooperating country in June 2000. The Cook Islands worked towards meeting the criteria for delisting and put a number of bills before the House, including legislation related to its anti-money laundering regime, amendments to its Crimes Act and new acts regulating the banking sector. In June 2003, the Financial Services Commission was established, its role being to regulate and supervise the financial service industry to acceptable international standards. In 2005, the Cook Islands was removed from the FATF blacklist for countries with ineffective systems against money laundering and terrorism financing.
Over the years, the Cook Islands has reduced its dependence on foreign aid and remittances. In December 2007, Standard and Poors raised its ratings for the Cook Islands to BB/Stable/B citing the Cook Islands’ regular budget surpluses and low net debt burden, economic potential of tourism, and supportive relationship with New Zealand. It cautioned that further improvements in creditworthiness would depend on a commitment to uphold past reforms, strengthening political stability and continued fiscal discipline. The use of debt repayment reserves for expenditure on “national-building” projects such as a complex for the 2009 Pacific Mini Games would be seen as an advance warning signal of potential relaxation in fiscal discipline.
The international legal personality of the Cook Islands has developed steadily since the Cook Islands became self-governing in 1965. The Cook Islands has entered into a wide range of bilateral and multilateral treaties in its own name and has become a member of a number of regional and international organisations.
The Cook Islands is a member in its own right of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and an Associate Member of both the Commonwealth and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It participates actively in regional affairs through membership of bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum and its agencies, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. In June 2000, the Cook Islands signed the Cotonou Agreement (the successor arrangement to the Lome Convention).
The Cook Islands has established diplomatic relations with 20 countries and international organisations and maintains diplomatic posts in New Zealand and to the European Communities. Germany, France and the United Kingdom are represented by Honorary Consuls in the Cook Islands, and the Cook Islands has Honorary Consuls in Sydney, Honolulu and Oslo.top of page
Air services are important to sustaining the tourism sector. Air New Zealand currently operates 16 flights a week into and out of Rarotonga, including a direct flight from Rarotonga to Los Angeles. The introduction of Air New Zealand’s low cost Pacific fares has helped boost demand. Other international airlines have had trouble sustaining routes into the Cook Islands. Since 2000, Canada 3000, Aloha Airlines and Royal Tongan have all started and subsequently cancelled services to the Cook Islands. Pacific Blue commenced twice weekly flights to the Cook Islands from New Zealand in March 2005.
New Zealand is responsible for the defence of the Cook Islands under the terms of the 1965 Constitution. In practice, however, this responsibility would only be acted upon at the request of the Cook Islands’ Government.
There is a Mutual Assistance Programme (MAP) administered by the New Zealand Defence Force. MAP assistance for the Cook Islands is aimed at supporting Pacific Patrol Boat operations, dive training, small arms use and their security, search and rescue and the provision of a physical training instructor and a technical adviser to the Pacific Patrol Boat project.
MAP activities in the past have included a RNZN conducted dive refresher course for the Pacific Patrol Boat crew and general police, basic investigator training, first aid training, and mechanic and engineering training. The New Zealand Defence Force also undertakes surveillance flights in the Cook Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone. New Zealand’s Defence Adviser for the Pacific accredited to the Cook Islands is based in Wellington.
The Cook Islands follows the New Zealand curriculum. Education is compulsory for all children between 5 and 15 years of age. The Government provides free secular education at primary and secondary school levels. Tereora College provides education up to year 13. The Teachers’ Training College, Nursing School, the Trade Training Centre and the Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre provide tertiary training. The University of the South Pacific has an extension centre providing vocational, foundation and degree courses.
Cook Islanders have New Zealand citizenship and as such have free access into New Zealand.
All visitors to the Cook Islands (including non-Cook Islands New Zealand citizens) automatically receive a 31-day permit on arrival. Beyond this period a resident permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. Holders of visitor permits are not allowed to work unless a work permit has been granted. Work permits are required for the employment of expatriate New Zealanders.
While the Cook Islands does not have poverty to the same extent as other Pacific Island countries, strong disparities of wealth and opportunity exist between Rarotonga and the isolated outer islands. The joint New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID)/Australia Agency for International Development (AusAID) development assistance programme is therefore focused on the outer islands.
The strategy for development assistance to the Cook Islands (2001-2007) provides a framework that guides New Zealand’s bilateral assistance. It also forms the basis for the joint NZAID/AusAID programme that came into effect on 1 July 2004. NZAID manages this single coordinated programme on behalf of AusAID.
The key development challenges facing the Cook Islands include low levels of basic social services in the outer islands, a declining population, shortages of skilled labour, and a narrow economic base. The joint Cook Islands/NZAID/AusAid strategy has five priority areas in the aid programme: public sector assistance, education and training, outer islands infrastructure, marine resources, and support for civil society.
The Cook Islands has achieved some Millennium Development Goals: universal primary education for all boys and girls, low and decreasing child and maternity mortality rates and access to safe drinking water.
The Cook Islands is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. The key features of the free association relationship are provided for in the Cook Islands Constitution Act 1965.
In May 1973 the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Norman Kirk, and the Premier of the Cook Islands Hon Albert Henry exchanged letters in which they clarified aspects of the relationship of free association. The exchange emphasised that there were no legal fetters on the freedom of the Cook Islands, and that the relationship was a voluntary one of partnership turning on the wish of Cook Islanders to remain New Zealand citizens. The exchange emphasised that shared citizenship created an expectation that the Cook Islands would uphold in its laws and policies a standard of values generally acceptable to New Zealanders.
In June 2001, to mark the Centenary of formal relations between the two countries, a new statement was signed by the Prime Ministers of the Cook Islands and New Zealand. The “Joint Centenary Declaration of the Principles of the Relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands” updates the Kirk/Henry Exchange, to take account of developments in the relationship between the two countries. A fundamental principle of the relationship remains the obligation on both governments to consult closely as partners on foreign affairs matters and other issues of shared interest.top of page
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Cook Islands [external link].
