GOVERNMENT
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
Data code: CW
Dependency status:
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the
Cook Islands
Government type:
self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Avarua
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, 4 August
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 NA), representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December
2004)
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]
International organization
participation: AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU,
IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UNESCO, 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.
