Welcome to the
This is not an official Cook Islands Government website!
COOK ISLANDS INFORMATION PAGE
The Cook Islands enjoys a unique constitutional and international status. According to its 1965 Constitution, it shares its Head of State (HM The Queen in right of New Zealand) and its citizenship (that of New Zealand, although defining its own nationality) with its former colonial administrator and receives generous grants-in-aid from New Zealand, but has pursued its own diplomatic contacts, membership in international bodies and treaty obligations, thus establishing its own foreign affairs personality. It is internally and externally fully self-governing “in free association with New Zealand” and is only dependent on New Zealand for aid and defence purposes. It also is obligated to uphold a “standard of values” regarding its law-making and policies “generally acceptable to New Zealanders”. For all other purposes, the Cook Islands is a fully-fledged independent country participating as a full and equal member of the international community. Niue has entered upon the same path to statehood when it became internally self-governing in 1974. It has, however, pursued its own international personality somewhat more reluctantly.
The site features information (Constitution, constitutional status, foreign affairs, international membership, Head of State, Government, Parliament, Diplomatic and Consular List, overseas representatives, treaties, agreements, declarations and exchange of letters) on these two associated states that, although different in population, size and history are the only members of a group of states that are independent for all practical purposes, but share their citizenship with, and receive administrative and development assistance from, their former colonial ruler.