Cook Islands, island group (2003 est. pop. 13,200), 90 sq mi (234 sq km), S Pacific, SE of Samoa; a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. It consists of 15 small islands and is comprised of two main groups, the Southern (or Lower) Cook islands (Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mauke, Mitiaro, and Manuae and Te-Au-o-tu) and the Northern Cook islands (Nassau, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, and Suwarrow). The islands were formerly called the Hervey Islands. Avarua on Rarotonga is the administrative center of the group. The Cook Islanders are Maoris, a branch of the Polynesian race, and are largely Christians.

Economy

Copra, fresh and canned fruits and fruit juices, clothing, pearl shell, handicrafts, and jewelry are the principal exports. Tourism and food processing are the major industries. Beginning in 1980s the islands also became a popular tax haven and offshore banking center, but in 2003 the government moved to increase regulation of offshore banks as a result of international pressure. Government spending is important to the economy, and some 60% of the labor force work in the public sector. Most imports, largely foodstuffs, textiles, and fuels, come from New Zealand. The Maoris generally work their own land.

Government

The government consists of a prime minister, a cabinet, a 24-member elected legislature, and a 15-member House of Arikis (hereditary chiefs). The latter is a purely consultative body that advises on traditional matters. New Zealand is responsible for foreign affairs and defense in consultation with the Cook Islands government.

History

The southern islands were probably occupied by the Polynesians c.1,500 years ago. Spaniards visited the islands in the late 16th and early 17th cent. Capt. James Cook sighted some of the islands in 1773; others were not discovered until the 1820s. The London Missionary Society was a powerful influence in the southern islands during the 19th cent. The islands were proclaimed a British protectorate in 1888 and were annexed by New Zealand in 1901. The Cook Islands achieved internal self-government in 1965 and are free to unilaterally declare their complete independence. An economic crisis in the mid-1990s led to outmigration and a significant drop in the islands population.