French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2001) | Cook Islands (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US | none |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
Airports | none | 9 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
7,781 sq km land: 7,781 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
total: 240 sq km
land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware | 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. | 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 (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | - | Avarua |
Climate | antarctic | tropical; moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 1,232 km | 120 km |
Constitution | - | 4 August 1965 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
Currency | - | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
Death rate | - | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $141 million (1996 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by High Commissioner of the Republic Brigitte GIRARDIN (since 25 March 1998), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) | 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 France) | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. | 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 | - | 25.51 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 27.43 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 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 - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001), representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December 2004) 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 | the flag of France is used | 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 | 43 00 S, 67 00 E | 21 14 S, 159 46 W |
Geography - note | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean | 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: 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 | - | New Zealand 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 (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | 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:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
arable land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04% other: 69.57% (2001) |
Languages | - | English (official), Maori |
Legal system | the laws of France, 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 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election 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 (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: 95% male: NA female: NA |
Location | south of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only 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:
74 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,024,194 GRT/5,255,703 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 12 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | 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 | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | typhoons (November to March) |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | 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]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2001 est.)
note: in 1997, there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) |
21,200 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | NA (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Avarua, Avatiu |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | - | Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church) |
Sex ratio | - | NA (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | - | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | - | 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 | - | 6,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 1,500 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) |
Terrain | volcanic | low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
Total fertility rate | - | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 13% (1996) |
Waterways | none | - |