Compare Pacific Ocean (2008) - Cook Islands (2005)

Compare Pacific Ocean (2008) z Cook Islands (2005)

	Pacific Ocean (2008)	Cook Islands (2005)

Administrative divisions	-	none
Age structure	-	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Agriculture - products	-	copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports	-	9 (2004 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: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies	total: 240 sq km land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world	1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.	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
Budget	-	revenues: $28 million expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.)
Capital	-	Avarua
Climate	planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December	tropical; moderated by trade winds
Coastline	135,663 km	120 km
Constitution	-	4 August 1965
Country name	-	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands
Death rate	-	NA
Debt - external	-	$141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status	-	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 (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international	some maritime disputes (see littoral states)	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Economy - overview	The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings.	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	-	25.11 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	-	27 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Environment - current issues	endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea	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	-	Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Exchange rates	-	New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)
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 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	-	NA
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	-	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: 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	0 00 N, 160 00 W	21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note	the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific 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
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
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	-	NA
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
Land use	-	arable land: 17.39% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 69.57% (2001)
Languages	-	English (official), Maori
Legal system	-	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 male: NA female: NA
Literacy	-	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere	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	-	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	-	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Military branches	-	no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster Management (2004)
National holiday	-	Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality	-	noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards	surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December	typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources	oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish	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	-	21,388 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA
Population growth rate	-	NA
Ports and harbors	-	Avatiu
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions	-	Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh Day Saint 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	-	NA
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	surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest	low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate	-	NA children born/woman (2005 est.)
Transportation - note	Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)	-
Unemployment rate	-	13% (1996)

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