Cook Islands

Location : Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Capital : Avarua

Languages : English (official), Maori 

Area : 240 sq km

Land Use : arable land: 17.39%; permanent crops: 13.04%; other: 69.57% (2001)

Natural Resources : NEGL

Population : 21,388 (July 2005 est.)

Labour force : 8,000 (1996) 

Labour force participation rate : 37.40% of population (1996)

International Organisation participation : ACP, ADB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, SPARTECA, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

GDP per capita : U$4,100 (2004 est.)

GDP Real Growth Rate : 7.1% (2001 est.)

GDP sectoral composition : agriculture: 17%; industry: 7.8%; services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Industries: fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate : 1% (2002) 

Agriculture - products : copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Exports : U$$9.1 million (2000)

Exports - commodities : copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners : Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Imports : U $$50.7 million (2000)

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

Imports - partners : New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

TRADE AGREEMENTS

Regional

The Cook Islands is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum. It has also signed the Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), under which member countries agree to liberalize trade in goods. It also has duty-free access to the Australian and New Zealand markets under the South Pacific Agreement on Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation (SPARTECA). The Cook Islands was not a signatory to the Lomé Convention but has signed Cotonou and as such is currently It is currently negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU through the Pacific configuration.

Multilateral

The Cook Islands is not a member or observer of the WTO.

NEED PRIORITIES  

Priority areas for the Cook Islands are yet to be determined.

Source: UNCTAD, World Fact Book.