Cook Islands

About this destination

The Cook Islands (called Kūki 'Āirani in Cook Islands Maori) are an archipelago of 15 islands in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, in free association with New Zealand. The 15 islands in the Pacific Ocean have a total land area of 236 km², yet the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is more than 7,500 times as large, at 1,800,000 km². The largest population of inhabitants is concentrated on the island of Rarotonga (14,153 inhabitants in 2006), where the international airport is also located. Outside the Cook Islands, some 58,008 people live in New Zealand who are said to be descended from the Cook Islands.