A census is carried out every five years in the Cook Islands.
These include speakers of Cook Islands Māori language, closely related to Tahitian and New Zealand Māori, who form the majority of the population and inhabit the southern islands including Rarotonga;[7] and also the people of Pukapuka, who speak a language more closely related to Samoan.
[8] Cook Islanders of non-indigenous descent include other Pacific Island peoples, Papa'a (Europeans), and those of Asian descent.
The largest non-Protestant denomination are Roman Catholics, followed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Non-Christian faiths including Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam have small followings primarily by non-indigenous inhabitants.