Geography of Cook Islands

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand.

Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W

Area: total: 236 sq km; land: 236 sq km; water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 120 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 16.67%; permanent crops: 8.33%; other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km.