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Geography of the Cook Islands

Coordinates: 21°14′S 159°46′W / 21.233°S 159.767°W / -21.233; -159.767
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21°14′S 159°46′W / 21.233°S 159.767°W / -21.233; -159.767

Map showing the two chains of the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands can be divided into two groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands. The country is located in Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand.

From March to December, the Cook Islands are in the path of tropical cyclones, the most notable of which were cyclones Martin (1997) and Percy (2005).[1] Two terrestrial ecoregions lie within the islands' territory: the Central Polynesian tropical moist forests and the Cook Islands tropical moist forests.[2]

Islands and reefs

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Southern Cook Islands

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Northern Cook Islands

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Table

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Island
Group
Island Area
(km2)
Population Density
Northern Penrhyn 10 226 22.6
Northern Rakahanga 4 80 20.0
Northern Manihiki 5 213 42.6
Northern Pukapuka 1 444 444.0
Northern Tema Reef (submerged) 0 0
Northern Nassau 1 78 78.0
Northern Suwarrow 0 0 0.0
Southern Palmerston 2 58 28.0
Southern Aitutaki 18 1,928 107.1
Southern Manuae 6 0 0.0
Southern Takutea 1 0 0.0
Southern Mitiaro 22 155 7.1
Southern Atiu 27 437 16.2
Southern Mauke 18 297 16.5
Southern Winslow Reef (submerged) 0 0
Southern Rarotonga 67 13,044 194.7
Southern Mangaia 52 499 9.6
Total Total 237 17,459 73.7

Note: The table is ordered from north to south. Population figures from the 2016 census.[3]

Statistics

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Area
  • Total: 236 km2 (91 sq mi)
  • Land: 236 km2
  • Water: 0 km2
Area - comparative
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
120 km (75 mi)
Maritime claims
  • Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
  • Continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the edge of the continental margin
  • Exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
Climate
Tropical; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
Terrain
Low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes
  • Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  • Highest point: Te Manga 652 m (2,139 ft)
Natural resources
coconuts
Land use
  • Arable land: 4.17%
  • Permanent crops: 4.17%
  • Other: 91.67% (2012 est.)
Natural hazards
Typhoons (November to March)
Environment - international agreements

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cook Islands climate: average weather, temperature, precipitation, best time". www.climatestotravel.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  2. ^ Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; Joshi, Anup; Vynne, Carly; Burgess, Neil D.; Wikramanayake, Eric; et al. (2017). "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm". BioScience. 67 (6): 534–545. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014. ISSN 0006-3568. PMC 5451287. PMID 28608869.
  3. ^ "Cook Islands Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, 2016 Census". Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

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