The Cook Islands is a self-governing island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 islands whose total land area is 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.
Like most countries and territories in Oceania, telecommunications in the Cook Islands is limited by its isolation and low population, with only one major television broadcasting station and six radio stations. However, most residents have a main line or mobile phone. Its telecommunications are mainly provided by Telecom Cook Islands, who is currently working with O3b Networks, Ltd. for faster Internet connection.
Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of 67.39 km2 (26.02 sq mi), and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 10,898 of a total population of 15,040. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga. Rarotonga is a very popular tourist destination with many resorts, hotels and motels. The chief town, Avarua, on the north coast, is the capital of the Cook Islands.
Cook Islands Māori is an Eastern Polynesian language that is the official language of the Cook Islands. Cook Islands Māori is closely related to New Zealand Māori, but is a distinct language in its own right. Cook Islands Māori is simply called Māori when there is no need to disambiguate it from New Zealand Māori, but it is also known as Māori Kūki ʻĀirani or, controversially, Rarotongan. Many Cook Islanders also call it Te reo Ipukarea, literally "the language of the Ancestral Homeland".
Rarotonga International Airport is the Cook Islands' main international gateway, located in the town and district of Avarua, Rarotonga, 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the downtown area on the northern coast. Originally built in 1944, the airport was expanded in the early 1970s, and officially opened for jets in January 1974.
Holocentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only family of the order Holocentriformes. The members of the subfamily Holocentrinae are typically known as squirrelfish, while the members of Myripristinae typically are known as soldierfish. In Hawaii, they are known by the Japanese name mempachi/menpachi (メンパチ) or the Hawaiian ʻūʻū.
Manihiki is an atoll in the northern group of the Cook Islands known informally as the "Island of Pearls". It is located in the Northern Cook Island chain, approximately 1,299 kilometres (807 mi) north of the capital island of Rarotonga, making it one of the most remote inhabitations in the Pacific Ocean. Its name has two possible meanings: It is believed that the original name of the island was Manuhiki, inspired by the aboriginal discoverers, Manu coming from the word Rua Manu and Hiki meaning ashore, so the literal translation would be canoe carried ashore. The second interpretation is that the original discoverers were from Manihi, an island in Tuamotus, so the name of the island would mean Little Manihi.
Sargocentron is a genus of squirrelfish found in tropical parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, with the greatest species diversity near reefs in the Indo-Pacific. Being largely or entirely nocturnal, they have relatively large eyes. Red and silvery colours dominate. The preopercle spines are venomous and can give painful wounds. Most have a maximum length of 15–25 cm (6–10 in), but S. iota barely reaches 8 cm (3 in), and S. spiniferum can reach more than 50 cm (20 in).
The Rarotonga monarch, also known as the Rarotonga flycatcher or Kākerōri, is a species of bird in the monarch flycatcher family Monarchidae. It is endemic to Rarotonga, Cook Islands, and has been introduced to Atiu, Cook Islands.
The longspine squirrelfish is a silvery red, sea fish with orange-gold body stripes. One of about 150 species of squirrelfish, their most distinguishing characteristics are their large eyes and the long third spine of the anal fin. It is often included in public aquarium displays. The length of the longspine squirrelfish is about 18 cm. It lives in coral reefs in tropical and warm temperate seas and eats zoobenthos. It is territorial and uses sounds called "grunts" and "staccatos" to defend its crevice, warn of danger and, in groups, intimidate predators such as the moray eel. The longspine squirrelfish is edible and harvested on a small scale.
Neoniphon is a genus of squirrelfishes.
Sargocentron spiniferum, common name sabre squirrelfish, giant squirrelfish and spiny squirrelfish, is a large Indo-Pacific species of squirrelfish belonging to the family Holocentridae.
Orthomorpha coarctata, the long-flange millipede, is a widely introduced species of Polydesmidan millipede of the family Paradoxosomatidae. It is presumed native to Southeast Asia but due to transport by humans occurs in tropical and sub-tropical areas throughout the world, including the Hawaiian Islands, the West Indies, Gulf Coast of North America, and the Galápagos Islands.
Neoniphon opercularis, the blackfin squirrelfish, also known as the mouth-fin squirrelfish or clearfin squirrelfish, is a species of squirrelfish found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean from East Africa as far east as New Caledonia. It lives alone or in small groups in or near reefs and lagoons between 3 and 25 metres deep and can reach sizes of up to 35.0 centimetres (13.8 in) TL. It eats crabs and shrimps. Its dorsal fin is raised to scare off or startle predators. It also has a large venomous spine at the corner of its preopercle. It is relatively unaffected by commercial fishing, but is sometimes used as bait for tuna fisheries.
Neoniphon sammara, the sammara squirrelfish, also known as the blood-spot squirrelfish, slender squirrelfish, spotfin squirrelfish, armed squirrel-fish or javelin squirrelfish, is a species squirrelfish found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean from East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands. It feeds on shrimps and small crabs and fish at night and can grow up to 32.0 centimetres (12.6 in) TL in length, though its common length is only 23.0 centimetres (9.1 in) TL. Like N. opercularis, it has a venomous spine on its preopercle.
Neoniphon marianus, also known as the longjaw squirrelfish, is a species of squirrelfish found in the Western Atlantic Ocean from the Florida Keys south to Trinidad and throughout the Caribbean Sea. It lives near reefs at depths between 1 and 70 metres, usually between 30 and 60 metres, and can reach sizes of up to 18.0 centimetres (7.1 in) TL. It is nocturnal and consumes mostly shrimps, but will also eat crabs.
Protoblepharon rosenblatti, the Cook Islands flashlightfish, is a species of flashlight fish found in the waters surrounding the Cook Islands. It can reach lengths of up to 22.0 cm (9 in) and can be found as deep as 274 m (900 ft).
Neoniphon argenteus, the clearfin squirrelfish or silver squirrelfish, is a seldom-seen member of the family Holocentridae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean from East Africa to New Caledonia. It is also found both north and south of Australia and throughout Micronesia. It lives mainly around islands and shallow reefs, and like N. sammara is associated with Acropora corals. Its depth range is 3–20 m (9.8–65.6 ft) and it can reach sizes of up to 24.0 cm (9.4 in) TL. It feeds primarily on benthic invertebrates. It is found in the ornamental trade and can be used as bait in tuna fisheries, but there are currently no known major threats to the species.
Neoniphon aurolineatus, more commonly known as the yellowstriped squirrelfish or gold-lined squirrelfish, is a member of the family Holocentridae. It has a wide range throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans stretching east from Mauritius to Hawaii and south from Japan to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. It lives on the outer reef slopes at depths between 30 and 188 metres. It lives near the ocean floor or in caves, generally staying alone or in small groups. It feeds on crustaceans and can reach sizes of up to 25.0 centimetres (9.8 in) TL. It is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN due to its deep-water habitat and lack of known major threats.
SS Miowera was a passenger and refrigerated cargo liner that was launched in 1892 in England for Australian owners, and was later owned by two of New Zealand's foremost shipping companies. In 1908 her last owners renamed her Maitai. She was wrecked on a reef in the Cook Islands in 1916.
