Cook Islands
Oceania Β· Capital: Avarua
How it is run: Cook Islands is a territory or observer, so some decisions about it are made elsewhere. The research links below explain who is in charge.
Cook Islands is home to a community in Polynesia, where people speak English, Cook Islands MΔori.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
Not counted in world data
πΊοΈ Land
236 kmΒ²
Smaller than most big cities β you could cross it in an afternoon.
ποΈ How crowded
Not enough data
π Size in its region
Part of Oceania
17th largest by land in Oceania.
π£οΈ Official languages
English, Cook Islands MΔori
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Cook Islands dollar ($), New Zealand dollar ($)
More than one currency is used here.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+682
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ck
π§ People here are called
Cook Islander
π·οΈ Name at home
Cook Islands Β· KΕ«ki 'Δirani
Also written: KΕ«ki 'Δirani.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Not a UN member
Neighbours & borders π€
Cook Islands has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Islas Cook
French
Γles Cook
Arabic
Ψ¬Ψ²Ψ± ΩΩΩ
Chinese
εΊε ηΎ€ε²
Japanese
γ―γγ―θ«Έε³Ά
Russian
ΠΡΡΡΠΎΠ²Π° ΠΡΠΊΠ°
Portuguese
Ilhas Cook
German
Cookinseln
Put it in perspective π
- All of Cook Islands would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Cook Islands is not a full UN member state, so it doesn't get its own vote in the General Assembly.
π·οΈ Official name
Cook Islands
ποΈ Capital
Avarua
π Region
Oceania Β· Polynesia
π€ Country code
CK
ποΈ UN status
Not a UN member state
π© Independence
Linked territory
More about Cook Islands π
π§ Where on the map
21.2Β° S, 159.8Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-11 β when it is noon in London it is about 01:00 in Avarua.
- Cook Islands lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Cook Islands shares its part of the world with Samoa. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Cook Islands is a territory linked to another country, so some decisions are made elsewhere.
- π¨π° is the flag of Cook Islands. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is CK.
- The capital of Cook Islands is Avarua β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Cook Islands has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Cook Islands can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Cook Islands spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Cook Islands?
Avarua
Which money do people spend in Cook Islands?
Cook Islands dollar ($), New Zealand dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Cook Islands?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Cook Islands?
World data does not count this place separately.
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.