Cook Islands

American  

plural noun

1. a group of islands in the South Pacific belonging to New Zealand. 99 square miles (256 square kilometers).

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Cook Islands British  

plural noun

1. a group of islands in the SW Pacific, an overseas territory of New Zealand: consists of the Lower Cooks and the Northern Cooks Capital: Avarua, on Rarotonga. Pop: 10 447 (2013 est). Area: 234 sq km (90 sq miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Cook Islands

First recorded in 1875–80 as Cook's Islands; named after Captain James Cook

Example Sentences

At the IMO, the Cook Islands pressed Iran to confirm reported evidence that "there is a nascent ships registration system being set up for approved vessels to make safe passage through the Strait" of Hormuz.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Pasifika heritage encompasses the indigenous peoples of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia, with Upper Hutt-born Rennie having Cook Islands links through his mother.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Places such as the Cook Islands are doing everything they can to play the two sides off against one another.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

Cook Islands officials believe that royalties from offshore mining could help pay for better hospitals and schools, in effect doing for the islands what oil has done for Norway.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

Background: Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.

From The 2002 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency