Cook Islands
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
| Gevernment type | self-governing parliamentary democracy |
| Capital |
name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Flag description | 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 |
| Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
| Internet country code | .ck |
| Ports and terminals | Avatiu |
| Agriculture products | copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
| Industries | fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts |
| Geography |
| Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 21 14 S, 159 46 W |
| Continent | Oceania |
| Area |
total: 236.7 sq km
land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 120 km |
| Climate | tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March |
| Terrain | low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
| Natural resources | NEGL |
| Natural hazards | typhoons (November to March) |
| People |
| Population | 21,388 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) |
| 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 |
