Cook Islands

Languages: There are five living languages in the Cook Islands with English and Cook Islands Maori the official languages. Cook Islands Maori is sometimes also called Rarotongan after the capital island and is the most widely spoken version of Maori in the Islands. Others are Penrhynese - unique to the Northern group island of Penrhyn and rapidly disappearing - and Rakahanga-Manihiki which is spoken by about 2,500 Cook Islanders only half of whom live on the two islands from which it takes its name. On the remote Northern group island of Pukapuka, the islanders have a unique language of their own called Pukapukan of which there is no written version. It is more like Samoan, and some of it can't even be understood by other Cook Islanders. But even there, English is spoken, albeit not widely. Children, though, are taught it in school. At the very least, the visitor will quickly learn the usual greeting, "kia orana" which means "may you live long"

Try the islands' Poke (raw tuna) with coconut milk. It is delicious! Cook Island's Poke bears little resemblance to Hawaiian's Poke. correction to the above: Poke (not pronounced like the english word!) is not raw tuna. The dish described above is called Ika Mata. Poke is a sweet dish that is commonly made using bananas (amongst other ingredients), but there are other variants such as Pumpkin Poke.

Money

The Cook Islands use the New Zealand Dollar, but also issue their own banknotes and coinage, including the unusual $3 notes and the triangular $2 coins. Cook Islands money is only legal tender within the Cook Islands.

Economy

Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic 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 offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

Costs

Overall, much cheaper than nearby Tahiti, though anything imported (petrol/gasoline, milk, etc.) will be expensive. Calling home can cost a bundle, due to the need of having a large satellite dish and related equipment on each sparsely populated island.