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Photo: Benedict Adam · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Cook Islands places highest on Maternal Mortality Ratio (top 1% worldwide) and lowest on Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (bottom 4%).
Cook Islands in the Nations Inquiry Country Index
Cook Islands appears in 19 of the statistics tracked here, but is not placed in the Country Index: the index needs a standing on three quarters of its topics, and Cook Islands is measured on too few of them. Every published reading below is unaffected.
At a glance
Population
14,222
people
since 1950
Land area
240
km²
since 1961
Life expectancy
75.28
years at birth
since 1950
The newest published figure for each, the year it describes and who published it, with a line showing how it has moved.
01The country
About Cook Islands
Key facts about Cook Islands
- Capital
- Avarua
- Official languages
- Cook Islands Maori, English
- Currencies
- New Zealand dollar (NZD), Cook Islands dollar, New Zealand pound
- ISO code
- COK · CK
- Domain · dialling
- .ck · +682
As Wikidata records them. Official languages are the least consistent — some countries list only a national language, others every regional one. Sources and licences.
02Country Index 2026
Where it stands, topic by topic
Strongest first. Each position is Cook Islands’s place among the countries with a standing on that topic, built from a few key statistics chosen to measure different things.
joint60thof 182
From 2 of 4 key statistics
93rdof 201
From 2 of 4 key statistics
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Cook Islands holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
Each standing is built from a few key statistics chosen to measure different things. Select a subject for Cook Islands’s readings on it, or see every statistic held for Cook Islands in the table further down this page.
03Highs and lows
Where Cook Islands stands out
The two ends of its own record: every statistic on which Cook Islands sits within ten places of the best or worst in the world, plus its strongest and weakest readings overall. Each is turned into a percentile — its place among every country measured — which is what lets a hunger score and a press-freedom rank be compared at all.
Where Cook Islands does best5
In the top third of all countries measured. 1 is within ten places of the best in the world, in a field of at least 50 countries — marked with that place.
- 1stMaternal Mortality Ratiotop 1%
Position · derived 195th of 195 · 1 = worst · 0.11 · 2023
world median 46.65 (better)
Position · derived 26th of 211 · 1.177 · 2024
world median 0.04 (better) · ▼ 11 pts since 2014
Not ranked by the publisher · 100 · 2025
world median 98.4 (better)
- Rule of Lawtop 21%
Position · derived 45th of 211 · 0.934 · 2024
world median -0.1 (better) · ▲ 51 pts since 2014
Where Cook Islands struggles most3
In the bottom third of all countries measured.
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Indexbottom 4%
Rank 165th of 175 · 8.244 · 2026
world median 56.21 (worse)
- Tertiary Enrolment Ratiobottom 11%
Position · derived 85th of 95 · 12.49 · 2024
world median 52.77 (worse) · ▼ 54 pts since 2014
- Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiarybottom 20%
Position · derived 61st of 75 · 1.77 · 2024
world median 5.494 (worse) · ▲ 19 pts since 2023
A band is a place among the countries each publisher scores, so Cook Islands can move because other countries moved. See the Country Index for the full method.
04Over time
Which way it is moving
The published rank in widely quoted reports, edition by edition — each end with the size of that year’s field — and the statistics, not already named above, on which it has gained or lost the most ground.
Gaining ground
Where Cook Islands has climbed against the rest of the world, in percentile points.
- Renewable Share of Electricity Generation+58 pts since 2014
- Government Effectiveness+50 pts since 2014
Losing ground
Where Cook Islands has slipped against the rest of the world, in percentile points.
- Under-Five Mortality Rate-9 pts since 2014
05In context
Cook Islands and its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place in the world ranking, not within the region.
Shares a land border with
Cook Islands has no land border with another country.
Across Polynesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its position in the world.
- 64
Samoa - 87
Tonga - —
American Samoanot placed - —
Cook Islandsnot placed - —
French Polynesianot placed - —
Niuenot placed - —
Tuvalunot placed
06The evidence
Every statistic we hold for Cook Islands
Grouped by topic. Each row gives the newest edition’s rank or position, the published value and the year the numbers describe — select a row for the world median, the best in the world and the trend.
Governance & Institutions7
Completeness of Birth Registrationtop 14%100Children under 5 whose birth is registered (%)2025
top 14% of 185 countries measured
UNICEF · Children under 5 whose birth is registered (%)
Cook Islands 100 · world median 98.4 (better)
Best in the world 100 (53 countries tied)
No earlier reading to compare
Government Effectiveness67th of 209position · derived0.526Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)2024
top 32% of 209 countries measured
World Bank Group · Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)
Cook Islands 0.526 · world median 0.01 (better)
Best in the world 2.28 (Singapore)
▲ +50 percentile points since 2014
Government Spending on Education43rd of 123position · derived4.417Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)2023
top 34% of 123 countries measured
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Cook Islands 4.417 · world median 3.709 (better)
Best in the world 16.39 (Kiribati)
▲ +15 percentile points since 2014
Regulatory Quality93rd of 209position · derived0.061Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5)2024
top 44% of 209 countries measured
World Bank Group · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5)
Cook Islands 0.061 · world median -0.09 (better)
Best in the world 2.132 (Singapore)
▲ +37 percentile points since 2014
Rule of Law45th of 211position · derived0.934Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)2024
top 21% of 211 countries measured
World Bank Group · Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)
Cook Islands 0.934 · world median -0.1 (better)
Best in the world 2.021 (Finland)
▲ +51 percentile points since 2014
Voice and Accountability64th of 208position · derived0.596Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)2024
top 30% of 208 countries measured
World Bank Group · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)
Cook Islands 0.596 · world median -0.02 (better)
Best in the world 1.929 (Norway)
▲ +27 percentile points since 2014
Economy & Innovation1
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index165th of 175rank8.244LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)2026
bottom 4% of 167 countries measured · 167 share 175 positions
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Cook Islands 8.244 · world median 56.21 (worse)
Best in the world 1,319 (China)
No real change since 2016
Work & Labour1
Informal Employment Rate48th of 97position · derived · 1 = worst39.67Informal employment (% of total employment)2025
bottom 49% of 97 countries measured
International Labour Organization (ILO) · Informal employment (% of total employment)
Cook Islands 39.67 · world median 36.83 (worse)
Best in the world 0.857 (Hungary)
No earlier reading to compare
Education & Knowledge5
Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary61st of 75position · derived1.77Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%)2024
bottom 20% of 76 countries measured · 76 share 75 positions
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%)
Cook Islands 1.77 · world median 5.494 (worse)
Best in the world 87.12 (San Marino)
▲ +19 percentile points since 2023
Out-of-School Rate, Primary74th of 121position · derived · 1 = worst2.532Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)2024
top 39% of 121 countries measured
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Cook Islands 2.532 · world median 3.691 (better)
Best in the world 0.004 (United Arab Emirates)
▼ -5 percentile points since 2014
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment Rate33rd of 120position · derived86.1Net enrolment rate, pre-primary (%)2024
top 27% of 120 countries measured
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · Net enrolment rate, pre-primary (%)
Cook Islands 86.1 · world median 65.93 (better)
Best in the world 99.85 (Moldova)
▲ +15 percentile points since 2014
School Life Expectancy28th of 77position · derived15.62School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years)2024
top 36% of 77 countries measured
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years)
Cook Islands 15.62 · world median 14.59 (better)
Best in the world 21.01 (Monaco)
▲ +14 percentile points since 2023
Tertiary Enrolment Ratio85th of 95position · derived12.49Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%)2024
bottom 11% of 95 countries measured
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%)
Cook Islands 12.49 · world median 52.77 (worse)
Best in the world 141.86 (Macau)
▼ -54 percentile points since 2014
Health & Wellbeing3
Life Expectancy at Birth106th of 222position · derived75.28Years a newborn would live at current death rates2023
top 48% of 222 countries measured
UN DESA Population Division · Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Cook Islands 75.28 · world median 74.63 (better)
Best in the world 86.37 (Monaco)
No real change since 2013
Maternal Mortality Ratio195th of 195position · derived · 1 = worst0.11Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births2023
top 1% of 195 countries measured
UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG) · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
Cook Islands 0.11 · world median 46.65 (better)
Best in the world 0.11 (Cook Islands)
No real change since 2013
Under-Five Mortality Rate106th of 200position · derived · 1 = worst13.34Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)2024
top 47% of 200 countries measured
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) · Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Cook Islands 13.34 · world median 14.54 (better)
Best in the world 1.26 (San Marino)
▼ -9 percentile points since 2014
Environment & Sustainability1
Renewable Share of Electricity Generation67th of 190position · derived50Renewables (% of electricity generated)2024
top 34% of 193 countries measured · 193 share 190 positions
Ember · Renewables (% of electricity generated)
Cook Islands 50 · world median 31.14 (better)
Best in the world 100 (7 countries tied)
▲ +58 percentile points since 2014
Peace & Security1
Political Stability and Absence of Violence26th of 211position · derived1.177Political Stability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)2024
top 12% of 211 countries measured
World Bank Group · Political Stability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)
Cook Islands 1.177 · world median 0.04 (better)
Best in the world 1.582 (Liechtenstein)
▼ -11 percentile points since 2014
Not currently covered
The newest edition of these reports does not include Cook Islands. Usually the publisher does not cover it; sometimes it has dropped out of a ranking it used to appear in.
- Access to Electricity
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
- Adjusted Net Savings
- Adult Literacy Rate
- Agricultural Emissions
- Agricultural Irrigated Land
- Agricultural Land
- Agriculture Orientation Index
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)
- Arable Land per Person
- Average Weekly Hours Worked
- Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff
- Business Ready: Operational Efficiency
- Business Ready: Public Services
- Business Ready: Regulatory Framework
- Cereal Import Dependency Ratio
- Cereal Yield
- Child Marriage
- Children with Functional Difficulties
- Civic Space Ratings
- Coefficient of Human Inequality
- Container Port Traffic
- Corruption Perceptions Index
- Cost of Sending Remittances
- Country Policy and Institutional Assessment
- Crop Production Index
- Deaths in Organized Violence
- Debt Service on External Debt
- Dietary Energy Supply
- Ecological Footprint
- Economic Complexity Index
- Employment in Agriculture
- Employment in Industry
- Employment in Services
- Employment-to-Population Ratio
- Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months
- Expected Years of Schooling
- Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)
- External Debt Stocks (% of GNI)
- Fatal Occupational Injuries
- Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence
- Female Labour Force Participation Rate
- Female Share of Senior and Middle Management
- Fertilizer Consumption per Hectare
- Firms with a Female Top Manager
- Food Production Index
- Forest Area
- GDP Growth
- GDP per Capita (PPP)
- GDP per Person Employed
- Gender Development Index
- Gender Inequality Index
- Gender Social Norms Index
- General Government Consumption
- Gini Index
- Global Innovation Index
- Global Militarisation Index
- Global Multidimensional Poverty Index
- Global Report on Food Crises
- Global Violent Deaths
- GNI per Capita (PPP)
- Government AI Readiness Index
- Government Funding per Primary Student
- Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP)
- Gross Savings (% of GDP)
- Household Consumption
- Human Capital Index
- Human Development Index
- ICT Goods Exports
- Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)
- Income Share Held by Lowest 20%
- Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP)
- Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index
- INFORM Risk Index
- INFORM Severity Index
- Internal Displacements by Disaster
- Labour Force Participation Rate
- Labour Income Share
- Labour Productivity per Hour Worked
- Land Under Cereal Production
- Livestock Density
- Livestock Production Index
- Logistics Performance Index
- Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)
- Mean Years of Schooling
- Net Official Development Assistance Received
- Open Data Inventory
- Organic Agricultural Area
- Pesticide Use per Hectare
- Physical Violence Index
- PISA Mathematics Performance
- PISA Reading Performance
- PISA Science Performance
- Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
- Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day
- Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
- Prevalence of Undernourishment
- Primary Completion Rate
- Prosperity Gap
- Public Sector Employment
- Public Sector Wage Bill
- Renewable Internal Freshwater Resources per Capita
- Research and Development Spending
- Secondary School Enrolment
- Self-Employment Rate
- Social Institutions and Gender Index
- Statistical Performance Indicators
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
- Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)
- Trade (% of GDP)
- Trade Union Density
- Unemployment Rate
- Upper Secondary Attainment · last seen 2020
- Upper Secondary Completion Rate
- V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index
- Violent Discipline of Children
- Vulnerable Employment
- Water Stress
- Water Withdrawal by Sector
- Women, Business and the Law
- Working Poverty Rate
- World Energy Trilemma Index
- World Risk Index
- Youth Literacy Rate
- Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training
- Youth Unemployment Rate
07Keep reading
Explore further
08Method
Sources and how to read them
How to read this page
- The scores and ranks belong to their publishers. Nothing is adjusted, rescaled or re-ranked; each is reproduced from the edition named beside it. Where a row says position · derived, the publisher ranks nobody on that measure and the position is ours, made by ordering the published score.
- Each statistic shows its newest edition, which is not always the edition the Country Index uses: the index pins every source to one data year so its average compares like with like.
How a standing is built from percentiles, why Cook Islands can move because other countries moved, and why publishers measure between 120 and 215 countries each are set out in full in how a standing is made and what a standing cannot tell you.
Sources
- Statistics: 10 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
- Capital, languages, currency, codes: Wikidata, public domain (CC0).
- Map and land borders: Natural Earth, public domain. Borders are de facto — where administration actually changes — not claimed.
Photographs
The photograph of Cook Islands on this page comes from Wikimedia Commons and is shown in greyscale. The photographer and the licence are named beside each one.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Cook Islands: country statistics, rankings and trends. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/cook-islands