Name
The name Cook Islands comes from Captain James Cook, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Cook Islands
21.22° S, 159.79° W
For every 11.85 per 1,000 births there are 9.48 per 1,000 deaths — the population is falling 2.15% a year.
population growth -2.15% · 230th/230 · birth rate 11.85 per 1,000 · 137th/226 · death rate 9.48 per 1,000 · 47th/226
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 17,459
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 236 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 60 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 291 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- CK · COK
- GDP (nominal)
- $409.08 million
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $29,800
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Cook Islands 236 km²British Virgin Islands 151 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Cook Islands sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age41.5 years51st of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy77.6 years87th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate1.99 children per woman101st of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population17,459221st of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area236 km²207th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline120 km155th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
People and society
Its people include Cook Island Maori, part Cook Island Maori, Fijian, New Zealand Maori/European, Filipino, people from other Pacific Islands, and others. Religious affiliations include Protestant (Cook Islands Christian Church, Seventh Day Adventist, and Assemblies of God), Roman Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah’s Witness, Apostolic Church, and people reporting none or no specification.
Most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
A parliamentary democracy governs the Cook Islands. Its legal system is common law similar to New Zealand common law. The constitution took effect on 4 August 1965 under the Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964. On 4 August 1965, the Cook Islands became a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. Constitution Day is the national holiday, observed on the first Monday in August and dating to 1965.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $409.08 million
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $401.16 million
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $29,800
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +10.5%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2022” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 10.6%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 41.5 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 11.85 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 9.48 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 1.99 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- -2.15% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 76.2%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Protestant55%Cook Islands Christian Church 43.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Assemblies of God 3.6%
- Roman Catholic16.7%
- Church of Jesus Christ3.9%
- Jehovah's Witness2.2%
- Apostolic Church2.1%
- other15.6%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 236 km²Land 236 km² · Water 0 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 120 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 652 m Te Manga
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Within
Natural geography 1
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID