Compare Aruba (2008) - Cook Islands (2007)

Compare Aruba (2008) z Cook Islands (2007)

	Aruba (2008)	Cook Islands (2007)

Administrative divisions	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)	none
Age structure	0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)
Agriculture - products	aloes; livestock; fish	copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports	1 (2007)	9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 236.7 sq km land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Washington, DC	1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.	Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Birth rate	12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)
Budget	revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $70.95 million expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
Capital	name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation	tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
Coastline	68.5 km	120 km
Constitution	1 January 1986	4 August 1965
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands
Death rate	7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	NA
Debt - external	$478.6 million (2005 est.)	$141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status	member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs	self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	$11.3 million (2004)	$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Economy - overview	Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.	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 about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
Electricity - consumption	716.1 million kWh (2005)	27.9 million kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	770 million kWh (2005)	30 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%	Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Exchange rates	Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)	NZ dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Exports	230,600 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment	copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners	Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006)	Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner	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
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.)	agriculture: 15.1% industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2004)
GDP - real growth rate	2.4% (2005 est.)	0.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	12 30 N, 69 58 W	21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note	a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)	the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine	-
Imports	235,000 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs	foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners	US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006)	NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2006)
Independence	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)	none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	1% (2002)
Industries	tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining	fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.4% (2005)	2.1% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO	ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Irrigated land	0.01 sq km (1998 est.)	NA
Judicial branch	Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)	High Court
Labor force	41,500 (2004 est.)	6,820 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining	agriculture: 29% industry: 15% services: 56% (1995)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005)	arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 8.33% other: 75% (2005)
Languages	Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)	English (official), Maori
Legal system	based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence	based on New Zealand law and English common law
Legislative branch	unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1	bicameral Parliament consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (25 seats, 24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands, 1 seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.83 years male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.)	total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Literacy	definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	-	total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 112,129 GRT/126,160 DWT by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 9) (2007)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands	defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Military branches	no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005)	no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007)
National holiday	Flag Day, 18 March (1976)	Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality	noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch	noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards	lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt	typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources	NEGL; white sandy beaches	NEGL
Net migration rate	10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
People - note	-	2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
Political parties and leaders	Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]	Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	100,018 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.)	21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	1.522% (2007 est.)	-1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions	Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10%	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)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	NA years of age; universal (adult)
Telephone system	general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)	general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	38,300 (2005)	6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	108,200 (2005)	1,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Terrain	flat with a few hills; scant vegetation	low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate	1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.)	3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)
Unemployment rate	6.9% (2005 est.)	13.1% (2005)

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