Cook Islands Kūki 'Āirani
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Te Atua Mou E God is Truth
Capital (and largest city)		Avarua 21°12′S, 159°46′W
Official languages		English Cook Islands Māori
Demonym		Cook Islander
Government		Constitutional monarchy
-	Head of State	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Queen's Representative	Sir Frederick Goodwin
-	Prime Minister	Jim Marurai
Associated state
-	Self-government in free association with New Zealand	4 August 1965
Area
-	Total	236 km² (209th) 91 sq mi
Population
-	Mar 2006 estimate	18,700 (218th (2005))
-	2001 census	18,027
-	Density	76/km² (117th) 197/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$183. The Flag of the Cook Islands is based on the traditional design for former British colonies in the Pacific region The Coat of Arms of the Cook Islands has a Shield as its focal point The shield contains the fifteen Stars found on the national flag. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Te Atua Mou E ("God is Truth" also spelled Te Atua Mou'e) is the national anthem of the Cook Islands. This article lists details about the Demographics of the Cook Islands. Avarua is a Town and district in the north of Rarotonga Island An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Cook Islands Maori language also called Māori Kūki 'Āirani or Rarotongan, is the Official language of the Cook Islands. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Queen's Representative is the formal title given to the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands. The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the most powerful official within the government of the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in Jim Marurai has been the prime minister of the Cook Islands since December 14 2004 when he was elected by parliament by a vote of 14-9 An associated state is the minor partner in a formal free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a (usually larger nation for which no other specific New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 2 million (not ranked)
-	Per capita	$9,100 (not ranked)
Currency		New Zealand dollar (Cook Islands dollar also used) (NZD)
Time zone		(UTC-10)
Internet TLD		.ck
Calling code		+682

The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Māori: Kūki 'Āirani) are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The New Zealand dollar ( sign: $; code: NZD) is the Currency of New Zealand. The dollar is the currency of the Cook Islands. The dollar is subdivided into 100 cents ' although some 50 cent coins carry the denomination as "50 ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E The Cook Islands Maori language also called Māori Kūki 'Āirani or Rarotongan, is the Official language of the Cook Islands. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The fifteen small islands in this South Pacific Ocean country have a total land area of 240 square kilometres (92. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 7 sq mi), but the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 1. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone ( EEZ) is a seazone over which a State has special rights over the exploration and use of marine 8 million square kilometres (0. 7 million sq mi) of ocean. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. ^[1]

The main population centres are on the island of Rarotonga (c. Rarotonga is the most populous island in a group of islands known as the Cook Islands, with a population of 14153 ( Census 2006 10,000), where there is an international airport. There is also a much larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand, particularly the North Island; in the 2006 census, 58,008 self-identified as being of ethnic Cook Island Māori descent. The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. The Cook Islands Maori language also called Māori Kūki 'Āirani or Rarotongan, is the Official language of the Cook Islands. ^[2]

With over 90,000 visitors travelling to the islands in 2006, tourism is the country's number one industry, and the leading element of the economy, far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, marine and fruit exports. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The Economy of the Cook Islands, as in many other South Pacific island nations is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets lack of

Defence is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In recent times, the Cook Islands have adopted an increasingly independent foreign policy.

Contents 1 Politics 2 Historical dates 3 Geography 4 History 5 Culture 6 Sport 7 Miscellaneous 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Cook Islands

The politics of the Cook Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic associated state, whereby the Queen of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the Queen's Representative, is Head of State and the Chief Minister is the head of government. The politics of the Cook Islands, an Associated state, takes place in a framework of a parliamentary Representative democracy within a Constitutional A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives An associated state is the minor partner in a formal free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a (usually larger nation for which no other specific TalkCommonewalth realm.--> New Zealand The Queen's Representative is the formal title given to the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State There is a pluriform multi-party system and the islands are self-governing in free association with New Zealand and fully responsible for both internal and external affairs. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island New Zealand no longer has any responsibility for external affairs. As of 2005, it has diplomatic relations in its own name with eighteen other countries.  Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State.  Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of the Cook Islands. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The Parliament of the Cook Islands or Legislative Council has 24 members elected for a five year term in single-seat constuencies 2006 Legislative election See also

The Cook Islands are not United Nations full members but participate in WHO and UNESCO. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State

Historical dates

1595 — Spaniard Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira is the first European to sight the islands. Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira or Neyra (1542 - October 1595 was a Spanish Navigator.

1606 — Spaniard Pedro Fernández de Quirós made the first recorded European landing in the islands when he set foot on Rakahanga. Pedro Fernandes de Queirós (1563 - 1615 was a Portuguese-born navigator and explorer, more commonly known by the Castilian spelling Pedro Fernández de Quirós.

1773 — Captain James Cook explores the islands and names them the Hervey Islands. Please see Captain (naval for other versions of this naval rank Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and Fifty years later they are renamed in his honour by Russian admiral and explorer Krusenstern. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Adam Johann Ritter von Krusenstern ( November 19, 1770 &ndash August 24, 1846) was a Baltic German Admiral and explorer

1821 — English and Tahitian missionaries arrive, become the first non-native settlers.

1858 — The Cook Islands become united as a state, the Kingdom of Rarotonga. The Kingdom of Rarotonga, ( Cook Islands Maori: Mātāmuatanga Rarotonga) named after the island of Rarotonga, was an independent kingdom established in

1888 — Cook Islands are proclaimed a British protectorate and a single federal parliament is established.

1901 — The Cook Islands are annexed to New Zealand.

1924 — The All Blacks Invincibles stop in Rarotonga on their way to the United Kingdom and play a friendly match against a scratch Rarotongan team. The All Blacks are New Zealand's national team in Rugby union, the country's National sport.

1946 — Legislative Council is established. For the first time since 1912, the territory has direct representation.

1965 — The Cook Islands become a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Albert Henry, leader of the Cook Islands Party, is elected as the territory's first prime minister.

1974 — Albert Henry is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II

1979 — Sir Albert Henry is found guilty of electoral fraud and stripped of his premiership and his knighthood. Albert Royle Henry ( 11 June 1907 - 1 January 1981) was the first Premier of the Cook Islands and a colorful and Albert Royle Henry ( 11 June 1907 - 1 January 1981) was the first Premier of the Cook Islands and a colorful and Tom Davis becomes Premier.

1981 — Constitution is amended. Parliament grows from 22 to 24 seats and the parliamentary term is extended from four to five years. Tom Davis is knighted.

1985 — Rarotonga Treaty is open for signing in the Cook Islands creating a nuclear free zone in the South Pacific.

1986 — In January 1986, following the rift between New Zealand and the USA in respect of the ANZUS security arrangements Prime Minister Tom Davis declared the Cook Islands a neutral country, because he considered that New Zealand (which has control over the islands' defence and foreign policy) was no longer in a position to defend the islands. The proclamation of neutrality meant that the Cook Islands would not enter into a military relationship with any foreign power, and, in particular, would prohibit visits by US warships. Visits by US naval vessels were allowed to resume by Henry's Government.

1991 — The Cook Islands signed a treaty of friendship and co-operation with France, covering economic development, trade and surveillance of the islands' EEZ. The establishment of closer relations with France was widely regarded as an expression of the Cook Islands' Government's dissatisfaction with existing arrangements with New Zealand which was no longer in a position to defend the Cook Islands.

1995 — The French Government resumed its Programme of nuclear-weapons testing at Mururoa Atoll in September 1995 upsetting the Cook Islands. Henry was fiercely critical of the decision and dispatched a vaka (traditional voyaging canoe) with a crew of Cook Islands' traditional warriors to protest near the test site. The tests were concluded in January 1996 and a moratorium was placed on future testing by the French government.

1997 — Full diplomatic relations established with China.

1997 — In November, Cyclone Martin in Manihiki kills at least six people; 80% of buildings are damaged and the black pearl industry suffered severe losses.

2000 — Full diplomatic relations concluded with France.

2002 — Prime Minister Terepai Maoate is ousted from government following second vote of no-confidence in his leadership.

2004 — Prime Minister Robert Woonton visits China; Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao grants $16 m in development aid.

2006 — Parliamentary elections held. The Democratic Party keeps majority of seats in parliament, but parliament is unable to meet due to petitions filed by the Cook Islands Party over alleged voting irregularities.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, north-east of New Zealand, between French Polynesia and Fiji. The Cook Islands can be divided into two groups the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य There are fifteen major islands, spread over 2. 2 million square kilometres of ocean, divided into two distinct groups: the Southern Cook Islands, and the Northern Cook Islands of coral atolls. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely ^[3]

The islands were formed by volcanic activity; the northern group is older and consists of six atolls (sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth). An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many The climate is moderate to tropical.

The fifteen islands are grouped as follows:

• Southern Group
  • Aitutaki
  • Atiu (Enua-Manu or Island of Birds)
  • Mangaia
  • Ma'uke (Akatokamanava)
  • Rarotonga (with capital, Avarua)
  • Palmerston Island
  • Manuae
  • Mitiaro
  • Takutea

• Northern Group
  • Manihiki
  • Nassau
  • Penrhyn Island also known as Tongareva
  • Pukapuka
  • Rakahanga
  • Suwarrow also called Suvorov

History

Main article: History of the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands were first settled in the 6th century A.D. by Polynesian people who migrated from nearby Tahiti, to the southeast. The Cook Islands are named from a Russian naval chart of the early 1880s after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands in 1773 and 1779 Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the ^[4]

Spanish ships visited the islands in the late sixteenth century; the first written record of contact with the Islands came with the sighting of Pukapuka by Spanish sailor Álvaro de Mendaña in 1595 who called it San Bernardo ("Saint Bernard"). Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Pukapuka is a Coral Atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with three small islets threaded on a reef which encloses a beautifully Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira or Neyra (1542 - October 1595 was a Spanish Navigator. St Bernard, St Bernard or Saint Bernard may be People Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 Saint Bernard Another Spaniard, Pedro Fernández de Quirós, made the first recorded European landing in the islands when he set foot on Rakahanga in 1606, calling it Gente Hermosa ("Beautiful People"). Pedro Fernandes de Queirós (1563 - 1615 was a Portuguese-born navigator and explorer, more commonly known by the Castilian spelling Pedro Fernández de Quirós. Rakahanga, part of the Cook Islands in the central-southern Pacific Ocean, is one of the most unspoiled places on earth

British navigator Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and 1779 and named the islands the Hervey Islands; the name "Cook Islands", in honour of Cook, appeared on a Russian naval chart published in the 1820s. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and ^[5]

In 1813, John Williams, a missionary on the Endeavour (not the same ship as that of Cook), made the first official sighting of the island of Rarotonga. Rarotonga is the most populous island in a group of islands known as the Cook Islands, with a population of 14153 ( Census 2006 ^[6]

The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides. ^[7]

The islands saw no more Europeans until missionaries arrived from England in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and many islanders continue to be Christian believers today.

The Cook Islands became a British protectorate at their own request in 1888, mainly to thwart French expansionism. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect They were transferred to New Zealand in 1901. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island They remained a New Zealand protectorate until 1965, at which point they became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of Organization. In that year, Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party was elected as the first Prime Minister. Albert Royle Henry ( 11 June 1907 - 1 January 1981) was the first Premier of the Cook Islands and a colorful and Founded in 1964 by Albert Henry and associates the Cook Islands Party is a personalist Political party in the Cook Islands. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Sir Albert Henry led the country until he was accused of vote-rigging. He was succeeded in 1978 by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party (also known for a time as the Democratic Alliance Party) is a liberal Political party in the Cook Islands.

Today, the Cook Islands are essentially independent ("self-governing in free association with New Zealand") but New Zealand is tasked with overseeing the country's defence.

On June 11, 1980, the United States signed a treaty with New Zealand specifying the maritime border between the Cook Islands and American Samoa and also relinquishing its claim to the islands of Penrhyn Island, Pukapuka (Danger), Manihiki, and Rakahanga. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the American Samoa (Amerika Sāmoa or sm ''Sāmoa Amelika'' is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast Penrhyn Island (also called Tongareva, Mangarongaro, Hararanga, and Te Pitaka)is the most remote and largest Atoll of the 15 Pukapuka is a Coral Atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with three small islets threaded on a reef which encloses a beautifully Manihiki is an island in the Cook Islands known as the Island of Pearls Rakahanga, part of the Cook Islands in the central-southern Pacific Ocean, is one of the most unspoiled places on earth

Culture

See also: Music of the Cook Islands

Holidays

Date	Name
January 1	New Year's Day
January 2	Day after New Year's Day
The Friday before Easter Sunday	Good Friday
The day after Easter Sunday	Easter Monday
April 25	ANZAC Day
The first Monday in June	Queen's Birthday
during July	Rarotonga Gospel Day
August 4	Constitution Day
October 26	Gospel Day
December 25	Christmas
December 26	Boxing Day

Sport

Main article: Sport in the Cook Islands

Rugby union is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands with association football (soccer) and rugby league also popular. In the Cook Islands, Christian music is extremely popular Imene tuki is a form of unaccompanied vocal music known for a uniquely Polynesian drop in pitch New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Good Friday, also called Holy Friday or Great Friday, is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday ("Pascha" Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a Holiday in some largely Christian cultures especially Roman Catholic Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. "The Queen" in this article means the monarch of the Commonwealth Realms The Queen's Official Birthday (sometimes known as "the Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Boxing Day is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth Rugby union is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands with football (soccer and Rugby league also popular Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games

Miscellaneous

A popular art form on the islands is Tivaevae, often likened to quilting. Tivaivai (also spelt tīvaevae) is a form of art at which Cook Islands women excel Quilting is a Sewing method done either by hand by Sewing machine, or by a longarm quilting system

The National Flower of the Cook Islands is the Tiare Māori / Tiale Māoli. Gardenia taitensis (also called Tiare Māori or Tahitian Gardenia) is a species of Plant in the Rubiaceae family Gardenia taitensis (also called Tiare Māori or Tahitian Gardenia) is a species of Plant in the Rubiaceae family

See also

Communications in the Cook Islands Demographics of the Cook Islands Economy of the Cook Islands

History of the Cook Islands Music of the Cook Islands Politics of the Cook Islands Transport in the Cook Islands

References

External links

• Cook Islands Government
• Cook Islands Government (summary)
• Cook Islands Tourism Corporation
• Open Directory Project - Cook Islands directory category
• Comprehensive Cook Islands site with news section
• Detailed and non-commercial website
• Cook Islands National Environment Service
• Cook Islands Biodiversity Database
• Photographs of CI banknotes including unique 3 dollar bill

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