Cook Islands
Self-governing island nation in free association with New Zealand.
The Cook Islands is an island country and associated state of New Zealand in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. The country consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately 236.7 square kilometres (91 sq mi). The Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 1,960,027 square kilometres (756,771 sq mi) of ocean. The capital is Avarua, located on the island of Rarotonga. The Cook Islands is self-governing while in free association with New Zealand. Since the start of the 21st century, the country has conducted its own independent foreign and defence policy, and also its own customs regulations.
- Capital
- Avarua (on Rarotonga)
- Total land area
- 236.7 km²
- EEZ area
- 1,960,027 km²
- Population (2021 census)
- 14,987
- Largest population centre
- Rarotonga (10,863 in 2021)
- Official name in Māori
- Kūki 'Āirani
- Status
- Self-governing in free association with New Zealand
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Cook Islands were first settled around AD 1000 by Polynesian people who are thought to have migrated from Tahiti, an island 1,154 kilometres northeast of Rarotonga. The first European contact took place in 1595 when Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira sighted Pukapuka, which he named San Bernardo. Pedro Fernandes de Queirós made the first European landing in 1606 on Rakahanga, calling it Gente Hermosa (Beautiful People). Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and again in 1777, giving Manuae the name Hervey Island. The name 'Cook Islands' first appeared on a Russian naval chart published by Adam Johann von Krusenstern in the 1820s. The islands became a British protectorate in 1888 following a petition from Queen Makea Takau Ariki. On 8 and 9 October 1900, seven instruments of cession were signed by chiefs and people. The islands were included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand on 11 June 1901. Self-government was granted on 4 August 1965, when a constitution was promulgated. Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party was elected as the first Premier and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. On 13 July 2017, the Cook Islands established Marae Moana, making it the world's largest protected area by size.
Reader's Guide
The Cook Islands matters as a model of self-governance in free association with New Zealand, maintaining its own foreign and defence policy since the start of the 21st century. Most Cook Islanders have New Zealand citizenship, plus the status of Cook Islands nationals, which is not given to other New Zealand citizens. The country has no armed forces, but the Cook Islands Police Service owns a Guardian Class Patrol Boat, CIPPB Te Kukupa II, provided by Australia, for policing its waters. Tourism is the main industry, with over 168,000 visitors in 2018, ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports. The main population centre is Rarotonga (10,863 in 2021), also the location of Rarotonga International Airport, the main international gateway. The census of 2021 put the total population at 14,987. A larger diaspora lives in New Zealand (80,532 people said they were Cook Islanders or of Cook Islands descent in the 2018 New Zealand census) and Australia (28,000 in the last Australian census). A Cook Islander, Henry Puna, served as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum from 2021 to 2024. The Cook Islands have been an active member of the Pacific Community since 1980.
Did You Know?
- The Cook Islands' first European name was Gente Hermosa (Beautiful People), given by Spanish explorers to Rakahanga in 1606.
- The name 'Cook Islands' first appeared on a Russian naval chart published by Adam Johann von Krusenstern in the 1820s.
- The Cook Islands responded to World War I by sending five contingents of close to 500 men, with the first departing on 13 October 1915 on the SS Te Anau.
- On 13 July 2017, the Cook Islands established Marae Moana, making it the world's largest protected area by size.
- Most Cook Islanders have New Zealand citizenship, plus the status of Cook Islands nationals, which is not given to other New Zealand citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands is a self-governing Polynesian nation made up of 15 islands in the South Pacific. It maintains a free-association relationship with New Zealand while managing most of its own affairs.
Where exactly is the Cook Islands located?
The archipelago sits in the South Pacific Ocean within the broader Oceania region, falling squarely inside the Polynesian triangle. Its Māori name, Kūki 'Āirani, reflects the deep Pacific cultural ties of the islands.
What is the capital of the Cook Islands?
Avarua, located on the island of Rarotonga, serves as the national capital. Rarotonga also holds the country's largest population centre, with just over 10,800 residents recorded in the 2021 census.
How does the Cook Islands's political relationship with New Zealand work?
The nation is fully self-governing but remains in a free-association arrangement with New Zealand rather than being a colony or territory. Since the early 2000s it has independently conducted its own foreign and defence policy.
How large is the Cook Islands in land area and population?
The 15 islands total roughly 236.7 square kilometres of land, yet the country's exclusive economic zone extends to about 1.96 million square kilometres of ocean. The 2021 census counted approximately 14,987 people across the archipelago.
More in Major Islands And Archipelagos 1-16
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