New Zealand Vacations Tours

Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates
21°14′S 159°46′W

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Maori: K?ki '?irani) are a self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. The 15 small islands in this South Pacific Ocean have a total land area of 240 square kilometres (92.7 sq. mi). They are spread over a vast area in the South Pacific. The majority of islands are low coral atolls in Northern Group, with Rarotonga, a volcanic island in the Southern Group, as the main administration and government centre. The main Cook Islands language is Rarotongan Maori. There are some variations in dialect in the 'outer' islands.

Tourism is the country's number one industry, the leading element of the economy, far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, marine and fruit exports. A popular art form on the islands is tivaivai, often likened to quilting.

Defence is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request. The Cook Islands has adopted an increasingly independent foreign policy, particularly after the adoption of an isolationist and non-aligned policy by New Zealand in the 1980s.

Geography of the Cook Islands

High Cook Islands
Aitutaki
Atiu (Enua-Manu or Island of Birds)
Mauke
Rarotonga (capital)
Mangaia
Low islands of the Southern group
Manuae
Takutea
Mitiaro
Northern Cook Islands
Penrhyn Island also known as Tongareva
Rakahanga
Manihiki
Pukapuka
Nassau
Suwarrow also called Suvorov
Palmerston Island

History

The Cook Islands became a British protectorate at their own request in 1888, then were transferred to New Zealand in 1901. They remained a New Zealand protectorate until 1965, at which point they became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Today, the Cook Islands are essentially independent, but are still officially placed under New Zealand sovereignty. New Zealand is tasked with overseeing the country's foreign relations and defence, but may not impose legislation on the Cook Islands without the latter's consent. The Cook Islands are one of three New Zealand dependencies, along with Tokelau and Niue.

After achieving autonomy in 1965, the Cook Islands elected Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party as their first Prime Minister. He was succeeded in 1978 by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party.

On June 11, 1980, the USA 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, Pukapuka (Danger), Manihiki, and Rakahanga.

See:
Polynesian culture
Captain Cook

• Edgewater Resort and Spa Rarotonga Cook Islands
• Edgewater Resort Cook Islands Weddings

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cook Islands".