The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

dollar (NZD)

      Currency code:

      NZD

      Exchange rates:

      NZ dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)

      Communications

       Cook Islands

      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: 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 hosts:

      2,234 (2008)

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

      3 (2000)

      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

      ======================================================================

      @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 or scrub cover) (2005)

      Irrigated land:

      0 sq km

      Natural hazards:

      occasional tropical cyclones

      Environment - current issues:

      no permanent fresh water resources

      Geography - note:

      important nesting area for birds and turtles

      People

       Coral Sea Islands

      Population:

      no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.)

      Government

       Coral Sea Islands

      Country name:

      conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

      Dependency status:

      territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department

      Legal system:

      the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

      Executive branch:

      administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department

      Diplomatic representation in the US:

      none (territory of Australia)

      Diplomatic representation from the US:

      none (territory of Australia)