eligion: Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands
Christian Church

_#_Language: English

_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

_#_Labor force: 5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%,
industry 15%, and other 4% (1981)

_#_Organized labor: NA

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: none

_#_Type: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook
Islands fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook
Islands

_#_Capital: Avarua

_#_Administrative divisions: none

_#_Independence: 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

_#_Constitution: 4 August 1965

_#_National holiday: NA

_#_Executive branch: British monarch, representative of the UK,
representative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note--the House of
Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative
powers

_#_Judicial branch: High Court

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Representative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA);
Representative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY
(since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA
February 1989)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY;
Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent INGRAM;
Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke ROBATI;
Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena JONASSEN;
Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka SADARAKA

_#_Suffrage: universal adult at age NA

_#_Elections:

Parliament--last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by
January 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic
Tumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9,
independent 1

_#_Member of: AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, IOC, SPC,
SPF, UNESCO, WHO

_#_Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing in free association
with New Zealand)

_#_Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
centered in the outer half of the flag

_*_Economy
_#_Overview