Cook Islands

parliamentary democracy

name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: translates as "two harbors" in Maori

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Catherine GRAHAM (since 8 September 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 24 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 8/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: CIP (12); Demo (5); Cook Islands United Party (3); OCI (1); independent (3) percentage of women in chamber: 25% expected date of next election: 2026 note: the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the King's representative, serves as a consultative body to the Parliament

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions) judge selection and term of office: High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms subordinate courts: justices of the peace note: appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

history: 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964) amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

no regular military forces; Cook Islands Police Service

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request the Cook Islands have a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within its designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

$401.155 million (2024 est.) $364.686 million (2023 est.) $306.285 million (2022 est.) note: data are in 2015 dollars

$29,800 (2024 est.) $25,700 (2023 est.) $19,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

10.5% (2022 est.) -24.5% (2021 est.) -5.2% (2020 est.)

10.6% (2022 est.) 1.9% (2021 est.) 1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

revenues: $113.687 million (2022 est.) expenditures: $143.391 million (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

fishing, fruit processing, tourism, clothing, handicrafts

coconuts, vegetables, papayas, pork, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fruits, mangoes/guavas, watermelons, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 7,592 (2025 est.) male: 3,890 female: 3,702

-2.15% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 18.2% (male 738/female 671) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,634/female 2,479) 65 years and over: 16% (2024 est.) (male 608/female 631)

11.85 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-23.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 77.6 years (2024 est.) male: 74.8 years female: 80.6 years

urban population: 76.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Cook Island Maori 77.4%, part Cook Island Maori 8.3%, Fijian 3.6%, New Zealand Maori/European 3.4%, Filipino 2.9%, other Pacific Islands 1.8%, other 2.6% (2021 est.)

English (official) 86.4%, Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan) (official) 76.2%, other 8.3% (2011 est.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Protestant 55% (Cook Islands Christian Church 43.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Assemblies of God 3.6%), Roman Catholic 16.7%, Church of Jesus Christ 3.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.2%, Apostolic Church 2.1%, other 4.5%, none/unspecified 15.6% (2021 est.)

coconuts (copra)

10 (2025)

total: 190 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 19, general cargo 44, oil tanker 58, other 69

total subscriptions: 18,100 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 64.8% (2021 est.)