Rarotonga

Rarotonga

Rarotonga is the 'Capital' island of the Cook Islands and is situated in the South Pacific Ocean, nearly 3000 kilometres northeast of New Zealand and made up of 15 main islands, that are scattered over 2.2 million square kilometres of ocean.

The 15 islands consist of about 240 square kilometres of land area and about 145 kilometres of coastline.

The Northern Cook Islands group are;
Manihiki
Nassau
Penrhyn Island also known as Tongareva or Mangarongaro
Pukapuka
Rakahanga
Suwarrow

The Southern Cook Islands group are;
Aitutaki
Atiu
Mangaia
Manuae
Mauke
Mitiaro
Palmerston Island
Rarotonga (capital)
Takutea

The Northern group are mainly Coral atols, while the Southern group are mainly vulcano formed land masses.

The Cook Islanders, are Polynesians and they call themselves Maoris.
Their language, social organization and customs are similar to the New Zealand Maoris.

Most Cook Islanders speak English and Cook Islands Maori.
There are about 16,000 people living on the islands, including about 500 Europeans.
Nearly 10,000 of the people live on Rarotonga, 2,000 on Aitutaki, 1,500 on Mangaia, and 1,500 on Atiu.
Avarua, on Rarotonga, is the administrative and commercial centre for the country. Apart from Manuae, Suwarrow, and Takutea, all the Cook Islands are permanently settled.
Most Cook Islanders live in villages.
The Cook Islands' economy mainly based on agriculture.
Most of the islanders are engaged in the production of citrus fruits, pineapples, bananas, copra (the dried meat of the coconut), and cash crops.
In the northern islands, divers collect mother-of-pearl shell.
On Rarotonga, there are three clothing factories.
Other factories produce local handicrafts.
A canning factory processes oranges, pineapples, and other tropical fruits for sale in New Zealand.
The major source of the islanders income comes from the tourist industry. In 1773, Captain James Cook became the first known European to reach the islands.
In 1888 the British Crown took control of the islands, and in 1891 transferred to New Zealand the administrative control of the Cook group.
In 1965 New Zealand gave the islanders independence.
Since then they have a 'free association' with New Zealand. The islands are self-governing, New Zealand citizens with New Zealand military support for defence.

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Hui Chin and I found the Cook Islands especially Rarotonga a very relaxing, tropical lifestyle as we soaked up the fun and sun scootering around.
A circle of islands in the sun, a peaceful relaxed style of paradise.

You can click on these photos for an enlargement.

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