Map of Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are a group of fifteen islands located in the South Pacific Ocean. The Islands cover a total area of 92.7 square miles. As of 2006, the estimated population of the islands is 19,569.

As the map of Cook Islands show, the islandas lies to the north-east of New Zealand, between French Polynesia and American Samoa. These fifteen islands are divided into two groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands.

The capital of the Cook Islands, Avarua is marked in the map with a square. With an estimated population of 5,445, Avarua is also the largest city of Cook Islands. There are ten Outer Islands councils that administer the islands. Each council is headed by a mayor. The island councils are:

• Aitutaki
• Mangaia
• Atiu
• Ma'uke
• Mitiaro
• Manihiki
• Penrhyn
• Rakahanga
• Palmerston
• Pukapuka

The Cook Islands are self-governing in "free association" with New Zealand. It has a parliamentary system and is a representative democracy. The government of the country is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary. Frederick Tutu Goodwin is the Queen's Representative to the Cook Islands. The current Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is Henry Puna.

Agriculture is the main source of income of the Cook Islands. Tourism, fruit processing, fishing, clothing, and handicrafts are the major industries in the country. Major trade flow are with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Fiji.