- current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cook Islands People

Population: 20,611 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%

15-64 years: NA%

65 years and over: NA%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Cook Islander(s)

adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups: Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and
European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%,
other 0.9%

Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook
Islands Christian Church)

Languages: English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Cook Islands Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Harvey Islands

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

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital: Avarua

Administrative divisions: none

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)

National holiday: Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution: 4 August 1965

Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: 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
bec