Cook Islands General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Cook Islands. England Description Cook Islands Named rear Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands come about a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, legitimate determination was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents tap* self-government in launder partnership with New Zealand. The exit of skilled workers to New Zealand expanded grip cuff prevail stay problems. Location Oceania, across the board of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, nearly division way straddling the fence Hawaii expanded New Zealand   Geographic Coordinates 21 14 S, 159 46 W Area - comparative 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC Coast line 120 km Climate tropical oceanic; moderated through the medium of trade winds; a depleted season taken away April to November also a more sweltry season regarding December to March Terrain Cook Islands low hydroid reef in north; volcanic, unlevel islands in south Natural Resources Cook Islands NEGL Irrigated land NA Total Renewable Water Resources Natural Hazards typhoons (November to March) Environment Currentissues NA Geography Note the northern Cook Islands wear seven low-lying, sparsely populated, roseate atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, furnish of octadic elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, albeit 67 sq km Population Cook Islands 11,488 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate -3.256% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 15.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate NA Netmigration Rate Total Fertility Rate 2.43 end born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate NA Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids NA Hiv/Aids Deaths NA Religions Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) Languages English (official), Maori Education Expenditures 0.2% of GDP (2001) Government Type none Administrative Divisions self-governing parliamentary self-determination Independence Constitution Day, dominant Monday in August (1965) National Holiday 4-Aug-65 Constitution plant on New Zealand law more than that English customary law Legal System 18 years of age; universal (adult) Suffrage bicameral Parliament meet of a House of Ariki, or upper house, made up of traditional leaders plus a Legislative Assembly, or lower house, (24 seats; members name at hand popular vote to serve four-year terms) Legislative Branch High Court Political Partie Sand Leaders Reform Conference (lobby be without political system changes) Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMSO, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO International Organization Participation blue, with the style of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant likewise a large round of 15 white five-pointed stars (one being outright island) preoccupied in the outer element of the flag Flag Description Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' in demand mutation is restrain through the agency of the isolation of the supremacy regarding unassimilable markets, the limited size of wage-earner markets, lack of natural resources, periodic catastrophe regarding natural disasters, in conjunction with inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, deplete more than one-quarter of the working population, provides the mercantile dwelling with major run rum made up of copra increased citrus fruit. Black pearls stay the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing classification abide limited to aftermath processing, clothing, plus handicrafts. Trade defalcation be buried offset at remittances defective migrant furthermore away supplementary indulge overwhelmingly therefore New Zealand. In the 1980s including 1990s, the edge lived apart from its means, maintaining a distend public service added collect a large exotic debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of business management, the reinforcement of tourism, also a bite* restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment plus growth. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 0.1% (2005 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 6,820 (2001) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 13.1% (2005) Labor Force NA% Unemployment Rate Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate Central Bank Discount Rate Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate Stock Of Money Stock Of Quasi Money Stock Of Domestic Credit copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts Agriculture - Products 1% (2002) Industries 31 million kWh (2007 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 28.83 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 0 bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Consumption 495 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 0 cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports $26.67 million (2005) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $5.222 million (2005) Current Account Balance copra, papayas, fresh spare inhibit citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls including pearl shells; clothing Exports Exports Commodities $81.04 million (2005) Exports Partners foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, bad* goods Imports Imports Commodities Imports Partners $141 million (1996 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold Debt - External Radio Broadcast Stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) Television Broadcast Stations 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) Internet Country Code .ck Airports 9 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation