ephone; 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)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters)
(1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ck

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Cook Islands Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 320 km (1992)

paved: NA

unpaved: NA

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310
GRT/2,181 DWT

ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 7 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Cook Islands Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Cook Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

======================================================================

@Coral Sea Islands

Coral Sea Islands Introduction

Background: Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of
ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia
in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological
staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a
lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Coral Sea Islands Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: less than 3 sq km

land: less than 3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a
sea area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,095 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical

Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable