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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Cook Islands (2003)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Cook Islands (2003)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Cook Islands (2003)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryCook Islands
Administrative divisions - none
Age structure - 0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products - copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports 1 (2001) 7 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total: 240 sq km


land: 240 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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 - NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget - revenues: $28 million


expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY 00/01 est.)
Capital - Avarua
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical; moderated by trade winds
Coastline 698 km 120 km
Constitution - 4 August 1965
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Cook Islands


former: Harvey Islands
Currency - New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Death rate - NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London 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 none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain none
Economic aid - recipient - $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. 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 provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. 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 NA kWh 25.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 27.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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, Law of the Sea


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups - Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Exchange rates - New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative of New Zealand


head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON (since 12 February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Ngamau MUNOKOA (since 5 November 2003)


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 - NA (2001)
Exports - commodities - copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners - Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)
Fiscal year - 1 April - 31 March
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag 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 - purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 17%


industry: 7.8%


services: 75.2% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 7.1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives
Highways total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
total: 320 km


paved: 33 km


unpaved: 287 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners - NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)
Independence - 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 - 1% (2002)
Industries - fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate - total: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 3.2% (2000 est.)
International organization participation - ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch - High Court
Labor force - 8,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%


note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 17.39%


permanent crops: 13.04%


other: 69.57% (1998 est.)
Languages - English (official), Maori
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply based on New Zealand law and English common law
Legislative branch - unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 16 June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1


note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers
Life expectancy at birth - total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2003 est.)
Literacy - definition: NA


total population: 95%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Political Map of the World Oceania
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
National holiday - Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality - noun: Cook Islander(s)


adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards NA typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane NEGL
Political parties and leaders - Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
21,008 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - NA% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Avarua, Avatiu
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios NA -
Railways - 0 km
Religions - Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)
Sex ratio - NA (2003 est.)
Suffrage - NA years of age; universal adult
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
general assessment: NA


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: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 5,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 0 (1994)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate - NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate - 13% (1996)
Waterways none none
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