ver from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the
Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is
handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for
trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking
training for law enforcement officials; the government does not
encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or
prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for
commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Cook Islands

Introduction
Cook Islands

Background:

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.

Geography
Cook Islands

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way
between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 236.7 sq km
land: 236.7 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

120 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April
to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain:

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33%
other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying,