00)

Internet users:

3,600 (2002)

Transportation
Cook Islands

Airports:

9 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 26
by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1,
refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 17 (Latvia 1, Lithuania 1, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 5,
Sweden 8) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Avatiu

Military
Cook Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 157
female: 133 (2008 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with
the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues
Cook Islands

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction
Coral Sea Islands

Background:

Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square
kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory
of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small
meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather
stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and
reefs.

Geography
Coral Sea Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,095 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass o