A circle of 15, five-pointed, white stars on a blue field, Tiare maori (Gardenia taitensis) flower; national colors: green, white.
Title | "Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty) |
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Lyric/music | Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS |
Date of Independence | 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands became self-governing state in free association with New Zealand) |
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National holiday | Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965) |
Legal system | common law similar to New Zealand common law |
International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration (New Zealand normally retains responsibility for external affairs); accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Constitution | |
History | 4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964) |
Amendments | Proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state’s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2004 |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Sir Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Catherine GRAHAM (since 8 September 2024) |
Head of government | Prime Minister Mark BROWN (since 1 October 2020) |
Cabinet | Cabinet chosen by the prime minister |
Elections/appointments | the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Unicameral Parliament, formerly the Legislative Assembly (24 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) |
Elections | Last held on 1 August 2022 (next to be held by 2026) |
Election results | Percent of vote by party - CIP 44%, Demo 26.9%, Cook Islands United Party 26.9%, OCI 2.7%, other 0.2% independent 7.3%; seats by party - CIP 12, Demo 5, Cook Islands United Party 3, OCI 1, independent 3; composition - men 18, women 6, percentage women 25% |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions); note - appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) |
Judge selection and term of office | High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms |
Subordinate courts | Justices of the peace |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Embassy | None (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
Want to know more about Cook Islands? Check all different factbooks for Cook Islands below.