Western Sahara (2001) | Cook Islands (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
Airports | 11 (2000 est.) | 7 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total:
6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
240 sq km land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002. | 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. |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues:
$25 million expenditures: $23 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00) |
Capital | none | Avarua |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | tropical; moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 120 km |
Constitution | - | 4 August 1965 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
Debt - external | $NA | $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, in consultation with the Cook Islands |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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 made up for 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 | 83.7 million kWh (1999) | 19.5 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (1999) | 21 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9% |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996) |
Executive branch | none | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA) 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 party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime minister |
Exports | $NA | $3 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | Japan 42%, New Zealand 25%, US 9%, Australia 9% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $100 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: 40%-45% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
18% industry: 9% services: 73% (1995) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 21 14 S, 159 46 W |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.) |
total:
320 km (1992) paved: NA unpaved: NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | $85 million (c.i.f., 1994) |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | NZ 70%, Australia 8% (1999) |
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 | NA% | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | fruit processing, tourism, fishing |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 1.6% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | High Court |
Labor force | 12,000 | 6,601 (1993) |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% (1995) note - shortage of skilled labor |
Land boundaries | total:
2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: 0% other: 81% |
arable land:
9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 78% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | 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 NA 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, but has no legislative powers |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request |
Military branches | NA | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | - | Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) |
Nationality | noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun:
Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | typhoons (November to March) |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | NEGL |
Political parties and leaders | - | Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Tai CARPENTER]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 250,559 (July 2001 est.) | 20,611 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | Avarua, Avatiu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 56,000 (1997) | 14,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim | Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | general assessment:
sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
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 | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 5,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
Waterways | none | none |