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Cook Islands. 2,900 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, 2,000 miles Northwest of New Zealand, 850 miles southeast of the Samoan Islands.
World Factbook: "Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing more than one-quarter of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit."
The main island, Rarotonga, has an is an international airport.
Per capita GDP
2005: $9,100
Infant mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)
2011: 15.81 deaths
2009: 16.9
Average life expectancy at birth
2011: 74.70
2009: 74.22 years
Population
July 2011: 11,124
Birth rate
2011: 15.37 per 1,000 population (170 babies?) per year.
New Zealand has a larger population of Cook Islanders than do the Cook Islands. World Factbook gives no migration figure for the islanders.
Ethnicities
2001 census: Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5%
Religions
2001 census: 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%
Halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The biggest island, Rarotonga, is about 4 by 7 miles. It's volcanic, the top of it's volcano at 658 meters (2,140 feet) above sea level.
Self-governing parliamentary democracy in free association with New Zealand. New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense in consultation with the Cook Islands
Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II.
Bicameral parliament consists of a House of Ariki, or upper house, made up of traditional leaders and a Legislative Assembly, or lower house. The twenty-four , members of the lower house are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms.
Capital: Avarua.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2009-2011 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.