Cook Islands

About Cook Islands:

• It is a self-governing island state in free association with New Zealand.
• Location: It is located in the South Pacific Ocean, between Tonga to the west and French Polynesia to the east.
• It consists of 15 islands divided into a northern group of six islands and a southern group of nine islands.
  • Northern Islands: These are mostly low-lying and sparsely populated coral atolls; and include the islands of Manihiki, Nassau, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, and Suwarrow and are covered in light vegetation and equipped with stunning white sand beaches. 
  • Southern islands: These generally consists of much larger higher islands that are volcanic in origin and more densely populated. The southern island group includes Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Manuae, Mauke, Mitiaro, Palmerston, and Takutea.
  • The highest point is Te Manga which rises to 652m on the Rarotonga island.
• Population: Most of the population is found on the island of Rarotonga.
• Capital city: Avarua, which is on Rarotonga island.

Q1: What is a volcanic island?

It is a special kind of island which is formed when a volcano erupts underwater and builds up a new piece of land above the water’s surface.

Source: The tiny nation at the vanguard of mining the ocean floor