Like many other South Pacific island nations, the
Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
country from foreign markets, lack of natural resources, periodic
devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure.
Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of
copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to
fruit-processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are made
up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid,
overwhelmingly from New Zealand. Efforts to exploit tourism potential,
encourage offshore banking, and expand the mining and fishing
industries have been partially successful in stimulating investment
and growth.

purchasing power parity - $112 million (1998 est.)

NA%

purchasing power parity - $5,600 (1998 est.)

agriculture: 18%
industry: 9%
services: 73% (1995)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

2.6% (1994 est.)

6,601 (1993)

agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services
56% (1995)

NA%

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

fruit processing, tourism

NA%

15 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

14 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans,
pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee

$4.2 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit,
coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong (1993)

$85 million (c.i.f., 1994)

foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital
goods

NZ 49%, Italy, Australia (1993)

$141 million (1996 est.)

$13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand
furnishes the greater part

1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January
2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996),
1.5235 (1995)

1 April - 31 March