!!!Cook Islands: Government
||Country name|''conventional long form'': none \\ ''conventional short form'': Cook Islands \\ ''etymology'': named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777 \\ 
||Dependency status|self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense in consultation with the Cook Islands
||Government type|self-governing parliamentary democracy (Parliament of the Cook Islands) in free association with New Zealand
||Capital|Avarua[{GoogleMap location='Avarua' zoom='6'}] \\ ''geographic coordinates'': 21 12 S, 159 46 W \\ ''time difference'': UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) \\ 
||Administrative divisions|none
||Independence|none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
||National holiday|Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
||Constitution|4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964); amended many times, last in 2004 (2016)
||Legal system|common law similar to New Zealand common law
||International law organization participation|has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration (New Zealand normally retains responsibility for external affairs); accepts ICCt jurisdiction
||Suffrage|18 years of age; universal
||Executive branch|''chief of state'': Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Tom J. MARSTERS (since 9 August 2013); New Zealand High Commissioner Joanna KEMPKERS (since 19 July 2013) \\ ''head of government'': Prime Minister Henry PUNA (since 30 November 2010) \\ ''cabinet'': Cabinet chosen by the prime minister \\ ''elections/appointments'': the monarchy is hereditary; UK representative appointed by the monarch; New Zealand high commissioner appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes prime minister \\ 
||Legislative branch|''description'': unicameral Parliament, formerly the Legislative Assembly (24 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the Queen's representative serves as a consultative body to the Parliament \\ ''elections'': last held on 9 July 2014 (next to be held by 2018) \\ ''election results'': percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CIP 13, Demo 8, One Cook Islands Movement 2, 1 undecided \\ 
||Judicial branch|''highest resident court(s)'': Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges of the High Court); High Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and land divisions); note - appeals beyond the Cook Islands Court of Appeal are heard by  the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) \\ ''judge selection and term of office'': High Court chief justice appointed by the Queen's Representative on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the Queen's Representative, on the advice of the Executive Council tendered by the chief justice, High Court chief justice, and the minister of justice; chief justice and judges appointed for 3-year renewable terms \\ ''subordinate courts'': justices of the peace \\ 
||Political parties and leaders|Cook Islands Party or CIP (Henry PUNA) \\ Democratic Party or Demo (William HEATHER) \\ One Cook Islands Movement (Teina BISHOP)
||Political pressure groups and leaders|Reform Conference (lobby for political system changes)''other'': various groups lobbying for political change \\ 
||International organization participation|ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
||Diplomatic representation in the US|none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
||Diplomatic representation from the US|none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
||Flag description|blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
||National symbol(s)|a circle of 15, five-pointed, white stars on a blue field; national colors: blue, white
||National anthem|''name'': "Te Atua Mou E" (To God Almighty) \\ ''lyrics/music'': Tepaeru Te RITO/Thomas DAVIS \\  \\ ''__note__'': adopted 1982; as prime minister, Sir Thomas DAVIS composed the anthem; his wife, a tribal chief, wrote the lyrics \\