Useful Notes / Cook Islands

A self-governing Polynesian island country in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands (Cook Islands Māori: Kūki 'Āirani) are a set of 15 islands located in the South Pacific Ocean. New Zealand handles their defence and foreign affairs, but they are exercised in consultation with the Cook Islands, and Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, though they have the status of Cook Islands nationals, unlike other New Zealand citizens. The population is mostly Māori, a native Polynesian people sharing many ancestral links with the Māori of New Zealand itself and the Mā'ohi of French Polynesia.

The islands are named after the British navigator James Cook, who arrived in 1773 and 1777 and named the island of Manuae 'Hervey Island'; the name 'Hervey Islands' soon became applied to the southern group of the islands, until the entire group was renamed after Cook. The country later became a British protectorate in 1888 due to fear of France occupying the country like it did to Tahiti. On the 9th of October, 1900, the islands were annexed as British territory, with the chiefs and people signing seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands at the same time a British Proclamation was issued. The country was included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand in 1901 by Order in Council under the 1895 Colonial Boundaries Act, and in June 11th, 1901, the boundary change became effective, with the Cook Islands having a formal relationship with New Zealand ever since. The country was a dependent territory of New Zealand until 1965, when the New Zealand Government decided to offer self-governing status to it. Albert Henry was elected as the first Premier, leading the country until he was accused of vote rigging and succeeded in 1978 by Tom Davis.

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The Cook Islander flag

This flag is a British Blue Ensign containing the Union Flag in the upper left, and on the right, fifteen stars in a ring. The Union Flag is symbolic of the nation's historic ties to the United Kingdom and to the Commonwealth of Nations, the blue represents the ocean and the peaceful nature of the inhabitants, and the stars stand for the fifteen islands that make up the Cook Islands: Aitutaki, Atiu, Manihiki, Mangaia, Manuae, Mauke, Mitiaro, Nassau, Palmerston, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Rarotonga, Suwarrow, Takutea and Tongareva.

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Miscellaneous

• Capital and largest city: Avarua
• Population: 17,459
• Area: 236.7 km

(91.4 sq mi)

• Currency: New Zealand dollar ($) (NZD)
• ISO-3166-1 Code: CK