Cook Islands

Cook Islands
Status	Self-governing in Free Association with New Zealand
Capital	Avarua
Land Area
Location	Australasia, Polynesia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population
GNI
ISO3166-1 Codes	CK, COK, 1841
Internet Domain	.ck2
Currency	Dollar (NZD)3
Telephone	+6824

1. Overview
2. Cook Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
3. Cook Islands's Health
4. Cook Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. Links

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1. Overview

#new_zealand #UK

“Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₅

“Fifteen droplets of land cast across 2 million sq km of wild Pacific blue, the Cook Islands are simultaneously remote and accessible, modern and traditional. With a hip cafe culture, fine restaurants and funky nightlife, Rarotonga lives confidently in the 21st century. But beyond the island´s tourist buzz and contemporary appearance is a robust culture, firmly anchored by traditional Polynesian values and steeped in oral history.North of `Raro´, the sublime lagoon of Aitutaki is ringed with tiny deserted islands and is one of the Pacific´s most improbably scenic jewels. Venture further and robust Polynesian traditions emerge nearer the surface. Drink home brew at a traditional `Atiuan tumunu (bush-beer drinking club), explore the ancient makatea (raised coral cliffs) and taro fields of Mangaia, or swim in the underground cave pools of Mitiaro and Ma´uke. The even more remote Northern Group is a sublime South Seas idyll experienced only by a lucky few.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₆

As a territory of New Zealand I do not have many specific statistics for this territory in its own right.

2. Cook Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Australasia (2020)7
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank7
1	New Zealand	17.3
2	Australia	23.9
3	Fiji	102.1
	...
7	Palau	130.6
8	Tonga	132.6
9	Marshall Islands	134.2
10	Samoa	135.9
11	Vanuatu	137.8
12=	Kiribati	138.0
13	Cook Islands	144.5
14	Tuvalu	158.4
15	Solomon Islands	166.2
	Australasia Avg	119.7
q=15.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)7
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank7
1	Sweden	9.0
2	Norway	14.5
3	Denmark	14.5
	...
189	Pakistan	141.3
190	Swaziland	141.8
191	Mauritania	144.4
192	Cook Islands	144.5
193	N. Korea	146.5
194	Brunei	147.1
195	Sudan	148.6
196	Vatican City	154.0
	World Avg	87.9
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Norway and Denmark₈. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are The Solomon Islands, Somalia and Tuvalu₈.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₈, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Micronesia and Australasia₈.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better9
Pos.		2009 Treaties9
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
168	Iran	9
169=	St Kitts & Nevis	9
169=	Comoros	9
169=	Cook Islands	9
172	Guinea-Bissau	8
173=	USA	8
173=	Somalia	8
173=	Eritrea	8
	Australasia Avg	8.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better10
Pos.		2017 Score10
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
127=	Namibia	-5
127=	Kiribati	-5
127=	Jamaica	-5
127=	Cook Islands	-5
127=	Guyana	-5
132	St Lucia	-9
133=	India	-10
133=	Samoa	-10
	Australasia Avg	07.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

3. Cook Islands's Health

#alcohol #health #obesity #vaccines

Compared to Australasia (2020)11
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank11
1	Solomon Islands	82.0
2	Australia	84.6
3	Kiribati	87.0
	...
8=	Tonga	104.1
9	Samoa	107.8
10	Tuvalu	112.5
11	Micronesia	114.2
12	Papua New Guinea	120.8
13	Cook Islands	123.7
14	Nauru	134.8
15	Palau	146.0
16	Marshall Islands	158.3
	Australasia Avg	109.4
q=16.

Health (2020)11
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank11
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
	...
182	Papua New Guinea	120.8
183	Mali	122.1
184	Congo, (Brazzaville)	123.4
185	Cook Islands	123.7
186	Namibia	125.9
187	Iraq	130.9
188	Gabon	131.3
189	Ivory Coast	132.6
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₁₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₁₂.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₁₂, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₁₂.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

The Cook Islands does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. The Cook Islands does better than average in its immunizations take-up₁₃ (one of the best in Australasia). And finally, it does worse than average in terms of its alcohol consumption rate₁₄ (one of the worst in Australasia). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better14
Pos.		2016 Per Capita14
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
153=	Laos	10.4
153=	Greece	10.4
153=	Denmark	10.4
156	Cook Islands	10.6
157=	Australia	10.6
158	New Zealand	10.7
159=	Finland	10.7
160	Uruguay	10.8
	Australasia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Overweight Adults Lower is better15
Pos.		2016 %15
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
184	Tonga	78.5
185	Kiribati	78.7
186	Niue	80.0
187	Tuvalu	81.9
188	Marshall Islands	83.5
189	Cook Islands	84.7
190	Palau	85.1
191	Nauru	88.5
	Australasia Avg	73.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better13
Pos.		2015 Avg %13
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
23	Kuwait	97.5
24	Morocco	97.5
25=	Monaco	97.3
25=	Cook Islands	97.3
27	Greece	97.3
28=	Turkmenistan	97.2
28=	St Vincent & Grenadines	97.2
30	Dominica	97.1
	Australasia Avg	86.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

4. Cook Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

This rank is derived from 2 data sets. The Cook Islands performs the best in terms of how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. It does better than average when it comes to its forested percent change 2000-2020₁₆.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better16
Pos.		Total16
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
84	Wallis & Futuna	0.3%
85	Japan	0.2%
86	Niue	0.2%
87	Cook Islands	0.1%
88	New Caledonia	0.0%
89=	Qatar	0.0%
89=	Marshall Islands	0.0%
89=	Norfolk Island	0.0%
	Australasia Avg	0.1%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
1=	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
1=	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Mexico	1993 Dec 29
1=	Armenia	1993 Dec 29
1=	Ecuador	1993 Dec 29
1=	Fiji	1993 Dec 29
1=	Canada	1993 Dec 29
1=	Monaco	1993 Dec 29
1=	Maldives	1993 Dec 29
	Australasia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₁₇:

Christian	96%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	3.2%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Protestant 69.6% (Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7.9%, other Protestant 5.8%), Roman Catholic 16.8%, Mormon 3.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)₁₈.

The Lonely Planet travel guide points out with joyful glee the historical situation of the Cook Islands Christian Church. It...

“... was built by two villages, Areora and Ngatiarua, in 1882. When the outside was completed, there was disagreement between the villages about how the inside should be decorated so they built a wall down the middle. The wall has since been removed, though the interior is decorated in markedly different styles. Each village has its own entrance, sits at its own side and takes turns singing the hymns. The minister stands astride the dividing line down the middle of the pulpit.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₆

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems