]! ^! Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. 
]" ^" Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand ^# 21 14 S, 159 46 W ^$ Oceania ^% `! 240 sq km `" 240 sq km `# 0 sq km ^& 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC ^' 0 km ^( 120 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm `J 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin ^* tropical; moderated by trade winds ^+ low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south ^, `% Pacific Ocean 0 m `& Te Manga 652 m ^- NEGL ^. `' 17.39% `( 13.04% `) 69.57% (2001) ^/ NA ^0 typhoons (November to March) ^1 NA _J `K Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea `L none of the selected agreements ^2 the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives 
]# ^3 21,388 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* NA `+ NA `, NA ^6 NA ^7 NA ^8 NA ^: NA ^; `! NA `- NA `. NA ^< `1 NA `- NA `. NA ^= NA children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> NA ^? NA ^@ NA ^A `2 Cook Islander(s) `3 Cook Islander ^B Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) ^C Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh Day Saint 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) ^D English (official), Maori ^E `M NA `1 95% `- NA% `. NA% 
]$ ^F `4 none `5 Cook Islands `X Harvey Islands ^G self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands ^H self-governing parliamentary democracy ^I Avarua ^J none ^K 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) ^L Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) ^M 4 August 1965 ^N based on New Zealand law and English common law ^O NA years of age; universal adult ^P `6 Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001), representative of New Zealand `7 Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005) `8 Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament `9 none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister ^Q unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) `9 last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009) `: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers ^R High Court ^S Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON] ^T NA ^U ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO ^V none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) ^W none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) ^X 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 
]% ^Y Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. ^Z $105 million (2001 est.) ^[ 7.1% (2001 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) ^] `; 17% `< 7.8% `= 75.2% (2000 est.) ^^ 8,000 (1996) ^_ agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995) ^` 13% (1996) ^a NA _! `> NA `? NA _" 3.2% (2000 est.) _# `@ $28 million `A $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.) _$ copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry _% fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts _& 1% (2002) _' 27 million kWh (2002) _( 25.11 million kWh (2002) _) 0 kWh (2002) _* 0 kWh (2002) _+ 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) _, 450 bbl/day (2001 est.) _- NA _. NA _/ $9.1 million (2000) _0 copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing _1 Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000) _2 $50.7 million (2000) _3 foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods _4 New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000) _5 $141 million (1996 est.) _6 $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) _7 New Zealand dollar (NZD) _8 New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) _9 1 April - 31 March 
]& _: 6,200 (2002) _; 1,500 (2002) _< `B Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex `C the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable `D country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) _= AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) _> 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) _? .ck _A 3,600 (2002) 
]' _B `! 320 km `E 33 km `F 287 km (2000) _C Avatiu _K `! 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005) _D 9 (2004 est.) _E `! 2 `^ 2 (2004 est.) _L `! 7 `^ 2 `_ 4 `T 1 (2004 est.) 
]( _F no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster Management (2004) _G defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request 
]) _H none 