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administrative divisions:
none independence: none (became self-governing in free association with new zealand on 4 august 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) national holiday: constitution day. first monday in august (1965) constitution: 4 august 1965 legal system: based on new zealand law and english common law suffrage: na years of age; universal adult executive branch: chief of state: queen elizabeth ii (since 6 february 1952). represented by frederick goodwin (since 9 february 2001); new zealand high commissioner kurt meyer (since july 2001). representative of new zealand head of government: prime minister jim marurai (since 14 december 2004); deputy prime minister terepai maoate (since 9 august 2005) cabinet: cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the uk representative is appointed by the monarch; the new zealand high commissioner is appointed by the new zealand government; following legislative elections. the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister legislative branch: unicameral parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 september 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - na%; seats by party - cip 10. dap 9. demo tumu 4. independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election note: the house of ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence. but has no legislative powers judicial branch: high court political parties and leaders: cook islands people's party or cip [geoffrey henry]; democratic alliance party or dap [terepai maoate]; new alliance party or nap [norman george]; cook islands national party or cin [teariki heather]; demo party tumu [robert woonton] political pressure groups and leaders: na international organization participation: acp. asdb. fao. icao. icftu. icrm. ifad. ifrcs. ioc. opcw. pif. sparteca. spc. unesco. upu. who. wmo diplomatic representation in the us: none (self-governing in free association with new zealand) diplomatic representation from the us: none (self-governing in free association with new zealand) flag description: blue. with the flag of the uk in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag economy - overview: like many other south pacific island nations. the cook islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets. the limited size of domestic markets. lack of natural resources. periodic devastation from natural disasters. and inadequate infrastructure. agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing. clothing. and handicrafts. trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid. overwhelmingly from new zealand. in the 1980s and 1990s. the country lived beyond its means. maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. subsequent reforms. including the sale of state assets. the strengthening of economic management. the encouragement of tourism. and a debt restructuring agreement. have rekindled investment and growth. gdp (purchasing power parity): $105 million (2001 est.) gdp (official exchange rate): na gdp - real growth rate: 7.1% (2001 est.) gdp - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5.000 (2001 est.) gdp - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 7.8% services: 75.2% (2000 est.) labor force: 8.000 (1996) labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%. industry 15%. services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995) unemployment rate: 13% (1996) population below poverty line: na household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: na highest 10%: na inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2000 est.) budget: revenues: $28 million expenditures: $27 million. including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (fy00/01 est.) agriculture - products: copra. citrus. pineapples. tomatoes. beans. pawpaws. bananas. yams. taro. coffee; pigs. poultry industries: fruit processing. tourism. fishing. clothing. handicrafts industrial production growth rate: 1% (2002) electricity - production: 28 million kwh (2003) electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) electricity - consumption: 26.04 million kwh (2003) electricity - exports: 0 kwh (2003) electricity - imports: 0 kwh (2003) oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003) oil - consumption: 400 bbl/day (2003 est.) oil - exports: na (2001) oil - imports: na (2001) exports: $9.1 million (2000) exports - partners: australia 34%. japan 27%. new zealand 25%. us 8% (2004) imports: $50.7 million (2000) imports - partners: new zealand 61%. fiji 19%. us 9%. australia 6%. japan 2% (2004) debt - external: $141 million (1996 est.) economic aid - recipient: $13.1 million; note - new zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) currency (code): new zealand dollar (nzd) currency code: nzd exchange rates: new zealand dollars per us dollar - 1.53 (2005). 1.5087 (2004). 1.7221 (2003). 2.1622 (2002). 2.3788 (2001) fiscal year: 1 april - 31 march telephones - main lines in use: 6.200 (2002) telephones - mobile cellular: 1.500 (2002) telephone system: general assessment: telecom cook islands offers international direct dialing. internet. email. fax. and telex domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations. microwave systems. and vhf and hf radiotelephone; within the islands. service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire. cable. and fiber-optic cable international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 intelsat (pacific ocean) radio broadcast stations: am 1. fm 1. shortwave 0 (2004) radios: 14.000 (1997) television broadcast stations: 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) televisions: 4.000 (1997) internet country code: .ck internet service providers (isps): 3 (2000) internet users: 3.600 (2002) airports: 9 (2004 est.) airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1.524 to 2.437 m: 2 (2005 est.) airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 1.524 to 2.437 m: 2 914 to 1.523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2005 est.) roadways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2003) merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1.000 grt or over) 4.074 grt/7.520 dwt by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005) ports and terminals: avatiu military branches: no regular military forces; ministry of police and disaster management (2004) military - note: defense is the responsibility of new zealand. in consultation with the cook islands and at its request disputes - international: none
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