1994)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital
goods

Imports - partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia (1993)

Debt - external: $141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand
furnishes the greater part

Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January
2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996),
1.5235 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Cook Islands:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,180 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system:
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; 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 Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)

@Cook Islands:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 187 km
paved: 35 km
unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)

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 (1999 est.)

Airports: 7 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 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: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