It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately 236.7 square kilometres (91 sq mi).

The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 1,960,027 square kilometres (756,771 sq mi) of ocean.

[12] With over 168,000 visitors to the islands in 2018,[13] tourism is the country's main industry and leading element of its economy, ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports.

[15] In 1813 John Williams, a missionary on the colonial brig Endeavour (not the same ship as Cook's) made the first recorded European sighting of Rarotonga.

[22] The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides.

A British Proclamation was issued, stating that the cessions were accepted and the islands declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions.

Even though the inhabitants regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crown's title was unclear until the island was formally annexed by that Proclamation.

The island's young men volunteered at the outbreak of the war to reinforce the Māori Contingents and the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles.

The Cook Islanders were trained at Narrow Neck Camp in Devonport, and the first recruits departed on 13 October 1915 on the SS Te Anau.

In September 1916, the Pioneer Battalion, a combination of Cook Islanders, Māori and Pakeha soldiers, saw heavy action in the Allied attack on Flers, the first battle of the Somme.

The 2nd and 3rd Cook Island Contingents were part of the Sinai-Palestine campaign, first in a logistical role for the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Rifles at their Moascar base and later in ammunition supply for the Royal Artillery.

[34] Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party was elected as the first Premier and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

[35] On 13 July 2017, the Cook Islands established Marae Moana, making it become the world's largest protected area by size.

[39] The Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, north-east of New Zealand, between American Samoa and French Polynesia.

[40] The islands were formed by volcanic activity; the northern group is older and consists of six atolls, which are sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth.

[49] On 25 September 2023, the Cook Islands and the United States of America established diplomatic relations under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Brown at a ceremony in Washington, DC.

Vessels have included a Pacific-class patrol boat, CIPPB Te Kukupa commissioned in May 1989 which received a re-fit in 2015[57] but was withdrawn from service and replaced by a larger and more capable Guardian-class patrol boat, CIPPB Te Kukupa II, which entered service in 2022.

[59] Formerly, male homosexuality was de jure illegal in the Cook Islands and was punishable by a maximum term of seven years imprisonment; however, the law was never enforced.

[67] The religious distribution is as follows: The various Protestant groups account for 62.8% of the believers, the most followed denomination being the Cook Islands Christian Church with 49.1%.

[citation needed] The Cook Islands is expanding its agriculture, mining and fishing sectors, with varying success.

[69] Unlike other foreign jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Switzerland, the Cooks "generally disregard foreign court orders" and do not require that bank accounts, real estate, or other assets protected from scrutiny (it is illegal to disclose names or any information about Cooks trusts) be physically located within the archipelago.

Most of the original wood carvings were either spirited away by early European collectors or were burned in large numbers by missionaries.

Today, carving is no longer the major art form with the same spiritual and cultural emphasis given to it by the Maori in New Zealand.

However, there are continual efforts to interest young people in their heritage and some good work is being turned out under the guidance of older carvers.

Mangaia is the source of many fine adzes carved in a distinctive, idiosyncratic style with the so-called double-k design.

Mangaia also produces food pounders carved from the heavy calcite found in its extensive limestone caves.

Introduced by the wives of missionaries in the 19th century, the craft grew into a communal activity, which is probably one of the main reasons for its popularity.

Artists include painter (and photographer) Mahiriki Tangaroa, sculptors Eruera (Ted) Nia (originally a film maker) and master carver Mike Tavioni, painter (and Polynesian tattoo enthusiast) Upoko'ina Ian George, Aitutakian-born painter Tim Manavaroa Buchanan, Loretta Reynolds, Judith Kunzlé, Joan Gragg, Kay George (who is also known for her fabric designs), Apii Rongo, Varu Samuel, and multi-media, installation and community-project artist Ani O'Neill, all of whom currently live on the main island of Rarotonga.

Atiuan-based Andrea Eimke is an artist who works in the medium of tapa and other textiles, and also co-authored the book 'Tivaivai – The Social Fabric of the Cook Islands' with British academic Susanne Kuechler.

[79] New Zealand-based Cook Islander artists include Michel Tuffery, print-maker David Teata, Richard Shortland Cooper, Nina Oberg Humphries, Sylvia Marsters and Jim Vivieaere.