People of the Cook Islands

Ethnic groups and languages

With the exception of the inhabitants of isolated Pukapuka, who are of predominantly Samoan and Tongan descent, almost all Cook Islanders have mixed Polynesian ancestry. Intermarriage with European, Chinese, and African settlers was common in the early 19th century. There are two main indigenous Polynesian languages, one for the island of Pukapuka and the other (with dialectal variations) for all other islands. The latter, known as Cook Islands Maori, is an official language, as is English.

Religion

Christian denominations account for nearly all religious affiliation. Just over half of the population belongs to the Cook Islands Christian (Congregational) Church. Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Seventh-day Adventism, and Bahāʾī have smaller numbers of adherents.

Settlement patterns

Most Cook Islanders live in villages, though some people (on Rarotonga particularly) live on their farms. The largest settlement is Avarua. The former indigenous houses of thatch and timber have been almost totally replaced by homes of cement and timber with iron roofs.

Demographic trends

Life expectancy at birth is above 70 years for males and about 75 years for females. Natural increase is offset by emigration to New Zealand and Australia, though expatriates are counted among the Cook Islands’ official population, of which they constitute almost half. Today more than twice as many persons of Cook Islands ancestry live in New Zealand than in the islands themselves.

More than nine-tenths of the Cook Islands’ population is native-born. The main nonindigenous population is of European origin by way of New Zealand. There is considerable internal migration from the smaller islands to Rarotonga, the most populous island, where there is generally full employment.

Agriculture and fishing

Agricultural production consists primarily of small farming, either for domestic consumption or for shipment to New Zealand. Cassava, sweet potatoes, and other roots and tubers are the principal crops. Most commercial fishing is done by Taiwanese, South Korean, and Japanese vessels operating out of American Samoa, but there is widespread fishing for domestic consumption. Several species of tuna make up the primary catch.

Resources and power

Phosphate is present on the floor of the Manihiki lagoon, and there are vast deposits of manganese and cobalt and some other metals on the seabed near Manihiki. Exploratory mining operations began there in 1999. Imported fuels are utilized for energy production, though there is some use of solar and wind power.

Manufacturing and trade

The small industrial sector includes clothing and shoe manufacturing and food processing, mainly for export to New Zealand. Cultured pearls and fish are by far the major exports. Machinery of various kinds, minerals and fuels, and food and live animals are significant imports. New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji are the leading sources of imports; major export destinations are Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

Services, finance, and taxation

The service sector dominates the economy, with tourism the largest single contributor. Visitors come mainly from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, and Europe. The second largest economic sector is international finance, as the Cook Islands are a major offshore tax haven. Government plays a significant part in the economy and is the largest employer. Taxes are moderate, foreign investment is encouraged, and foreign aid—largely from New Zealand—makes a significant contribution to the economy. The New Zealand dollar is the monetary unit of the Cook Islands.

Transportation

Each island has a network of roads; a paved road encircles Rarotonga and is served by public buses. Regular service by small aircraft connects all the larger islands. There are ports at Rarotonga (Avatiu), Penrhyn, Mangaia, and Aitutaki, but shipping schedules can be erratic. There is an international airport on Rarotonga.

Constitutional framework

The Cook Islands is a self-governing state. Although New Zealand is nominally responsible for defense and for external affairs, the Cook Islands has nevertheless independently established diplomatic relations and entered into international treaties. The formal head of state is the British monarch, represented by an appointed delegate to the islands; the government of New Zealand also appoints a representative, known as the high commissioner. Day-to-day executive power is vested in a cabinet headed by the prime minister and appointed by the islands’ unicameral Parliament. Parliamentary elections, with universal adult suffrage, are held every four years. The constitution, adopted in 1965, has been amended several times. A council of hereditary leaders, the House of Ariki (High Chiefs), advises the government on traditional matters of landownership, custom, and the like. The two main political parties are the Cook Islands Party and the Democratic Party.

Health and welfare

Free medical services are available from government-owned hospitals or dispensaries on each island. Dental treatment is also free for schoolchildren. Diseases more commonly found in developed countries—diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cirrhosis of the liver—are becoming more widespread.

Education

Education is free in government schools and compulsory between ages 5 and 15; some church schools operate in addition to those run by the government. Higher education is provided by a national teachers college and a nursing school, through apprenticeship programs, and through an extension centre of the University of the South Pacific at Avarua. Many overseas scholarships are provided by the government and by overseas donors. The vast majority of the people are literate.