🌊 The Cook Islands have a rich history that dates back to around A.D. 900 when Polynesians from Tahiti and Samoa first settled there. They are named after the famous British explorer, Captain James Cook, who discovered one of the islands in 1773! 🇬🇧 In a twist of history, in 1901, the Cook Islands became part of the New Zealand Colony. Then, in 1915, the islands were organized into one political entity, bringing them together as a single nation! 🌺

🌊 The Cook Islands is known for its delightful exports! In 2022, the country had a variety of interesting commodities that made their way to different markets! Here’s what they exported:

• Fish 🎣
• Ships 🚢
• Surveying Equipment 🧭
• Sports Equipment ⚽
• Garments 👗

Each of these items plays a vital role in the economy of the Cook Islands, showcasing the diversity and creativity of this beautiful island nation! 🌴

The capital of the beautiful Cook Islands is Avarua! 🌴 Located on the island of Rarotonga, Avarua is a vibrant town known for its stunning beaches, friendly locals, and rich culture. People visiting Avarua can enjoy amazing views, delicious foods, and unique island activities! 🏖️🥥

The Cook Islands has a variety of imports that play a crucial role in its economy. Here’s a fun look at what the Cook Islands brings in: 🌊

• Refined Petroleum: Essential for transportation and energy.
• Ships: Supporting trade and tourism, these are vital for an island nation.
• Cars: Helping locals and tourists get around the islands!
• Plastic Products: Used in many sectors of daily life.
• Other Foods: Because we all love our tasty treats! 🍽️

These commodities help keep the country running smoothly and also support their vibrant lifestyle! 🌺

The Cook Islands have a tropical oceanic climate! 🌴 This means it's usually warm and moderated by refreshing trade winds. The climate features two distinct seasons: a dry season lasting from April to November, and a more humid season from December to March. 🌦️ Perfect for enjoying the beautiful beaches and lush landscapes all year round!

🌟 In the Cook Islands, the Executive branch consists of some notable leaders! The chief of state is King CHARLES III, who has held this position since 8 September 2022. He is represented locally by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS, who has been serving since 9 August 2013. Meanwhile, Catherine GRAHAM, the New Zealand High Commissioner, is set to start her role on 8 September 2024. 🌏

On the government side, the Prime Minister is Mark BROWN, taking charge since 1 October 2020. This leadership structure shows how the Cook Islands balances its royal ties with its own local governance! ⚖️

The Cook Islands has a unicameral Parliament with a total of 24 seats! 🏛️ This means there is one legislative body that makes laws for the country, keeping things simple and efficient. 🗳️ Let's dive into what this means for the people living there and how their government functions.

🌴 The Cook Islands are well-known for their vibrant natural resources, and one of the most important resources is coconuts! 🥥 Coconuts are primarily used for producing copra, which is the dried meat of the coconut. This valuable product is crucial for both local consumption and export. The sunny beaches and tropical climate of the Cook Islands create the perfect environment for coconut palms to thrive! 🌊

🌍 The Cook Islands has a high-income economy and operates as a self-governing territory of New Zealand. It's known for its tourism, which brings in a lot of visitors, but this important sector has faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 🏖️ However, the Cook Islands is working to diversify its economy! 🍍 Aside from tourism, it also exports copra (coconut) and tropical fruits. The Asian Development Bank also supports the Cook Islands with aid, helping to boost the economy and sustain its growth. 💪

🌍 The Cook Islands is a fascinating place, and did you know it has a parliamentary democracy? 🗳️ This means that the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. It's a way to ensure everyone's voice is heard in the government! 📣

In the sunny Cook Islands, the people are wonderfully diverse! 🌏 Here’s a look at the different ethnic groups that make up this beautiful island nation:

• Cook Island Maori: 77.4%
• Part Cook Island Maori: 8.3%
• Fijian: 3.6%
• New Zealand Maori/European: 3.4%
• Filipino: 2.9%
• Other Pacific Islands: 1.8%
• Other: 2.6%

The rich cultural tapestry of the Cook Islands highlights the strong presence of Cook Island Maori, making up the largest group! 🎉

🌍 Religions in the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands showcase a vibrant tapestry of faiths! Here’s how the different religions stack up in the islands:

• Protestant: 55%
  • Cook Islands Christian Church: 43.1%
  • Seventh Day Adventist: 8.3%
  • Assemblies of God: 3.6%
• Roman Catholic: 16.7%
• Church of Jesus Christ: 3.9%
• Jehovah's Witness: 2.2%
• Apostolic Church: 2.1%
• Other Religions: 4.5%
• None/Unspecified: 15.6%

As you can see, Protestantism is the major religion, followed by Roman Catholicism. Let's have some fun and visualize this data! 🎉

In the Cook Islands, language plays an important role in everyday life! 🌏 Let's dive into some interesting facts about the languages spoken in this beautiful island nation.

• English is widely spoken, with about 86.4% of the population using it!
• Another major language is Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan), which is spoken by 76.2% of the people.
• There's also a small portion, about 8.3%, who speak other languages.

Isn't it amazing how languages connect people? 🌐

🌍 Let’s take a peek into the Cook Islands' imports! In the year 2022, the Cook Islands made a bunch of deals with different countries to bring in goods they need. Here's how it all shapes up:

• New Zealand is the biggest partner, supplying 51% of the imports! 🥝
• Following New Zealand is Italy, contributing 18%. 🍕
• Fiji comes in next with 11%. 🌴
• From China, the islands import 7%. 🐉
• Lastly, Australia provides 3% of the imports. 🇦🇺

Isn’t it interesting how these countries help bring wonderful goods to the Cook Islands? 😄

📊 The Cook Islands has some exciting trading partners when it comes to exports! Here's a fun look at where their goods are headed:

• 🇯🇵 Japan: A big player, taking 42% of the exports!
• 🇫🇷 France: Coming in strong with 27%!
• 🇹🇭 Thailand: A notable partner with 12%!
• 🇺🇸 United States: Contributing 4% to the exports!
• 🇮🇹 Italy: Wrapping it up with 3%!

When you add these all up, they come to a perfect 100%! How cool is that? 😄

🌍 The Cook Islands have a total population of 7,761 residents! That's a small but vibrant community living in this beautiful part of the world.

🌍 Let's explore the total area of the Cook Islands! The total area is 236 sq km. Can you believe that all of this is land? 🤯 That's right! The land area is also 236 sq km while there is no water area at all! This makes the Cook Islands a unique and compact paradise for anyone wanting to dream under the sun! ☀️🏝️

🌍 The Real GDP of Cook Islands is a way to understand how strong the country's economy is! Let's look at the numbers from the past few years:

• In 2020, the GDP was $287 million 💰
• In 2021, it decreased to $257 million 📉
• In 2022, it bounced back to $266 million 📈

These numbers show how the economy can change from year to year, influenced by various factors. It's important to keep track of these changes to understand the economic health of the Cook Islands!

🌟 The Real GDP per capita of the beautiful Cook Islands has been on a journey over the past few years! Let's see how it has changed:<br> 📈 In 2020, the GDP per capita was $16,800, which means each person in the islands contributed that amount to the economy!<br> 💰 In 2021, it dipped slightly to $15,100. <br> 🌊 But good news! In 2022, it bounced back to $15,600! This shows how resilient and dynamic Cook Islands' economy is!

Check out the changes below as we visualize this amazing journey! 🎉

The Cook Islands imports are valued at a whopping $215 million! 🌴💵 This amount reflects the island nation's essential trade activities and needs, bringing in goods and services from around the world to support its economy.

In 2021, the Cook Islands exported goods worth a whopping $31.4 million! 🌊 This economic activity contributes to the vibrant islandeconomy, showcasing the unique products and resources of this paradise. 🌴

📉 The Cook Islands is experiencing a negative population growth rate! In 2024, the estimated growth rate is -2.24%. This means that the number of people living in the Cook Islands is likely decreasing. Isn't that interesting? 🌏