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Demographics of the Cook Islands

{{Short description|none}}

Demographic features of the population of the Cook Islands include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Population

{{Historical populations

|type =

| cols=3

|percentages=pagr

|footnote = Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.mfem.gov.ck/statistics/census-and-surveys/census/142-census-2016|title=Census 2016 - Cook Islands - Ministry of Finance and Economic Management|website=www.mfem.gov.ck|access-date=2023-05-10|archive-date=2023-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528153241/https://www.mfem.gov.ck/statistics/census-and-surveys/census/142-census-2016|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://stats.gov.ck/census-2021-updates|title=Census 2021 Updates|access-date=2024-09-09|archive-date=2023-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004225152/https://stats.gov.ck/census-2021-updates/}}

|1902 | 8213

|1906 | 8518

|1911 | 8655

|1916 | 8805

|1921 | 9459

|1926 | 10082

|1936 | 12246

|1945 | 14088

|1951 | 15079

|1961 | 18378

|1966 | 19247

|1971 | 21322

|1976 | 18126

|1981 | 17743

|1986 | 17614

|1996 | 19103

|2001 | 18027

|2006 | 19342

|2011 | 17794

|2016 | 17434

|2021 | 15040

}}

A census is carried out every five years in the Cook Islands. The last census was carried out in 2021 and the next census will be carried out in 2026.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mfem.gov.ck/statistics/census-and-surveys/census|title=Census - Cook Islands - Ministry of Finance and Economic Management|access-date=2016-06-13|archive-date=2017-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024095827/http://www.mfem.gov.ck/statistics/census-and-surveys/census|url-status=dead}}

=Structure of the population=

{{Population pyramid

|year=2011{{cite web |url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2014/Table07.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223135248/http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2014/Table07.pdf |archive-date=2015-12-23 |url-status=live |title=Demographic Yearbook, Population by age, sex and urban/rural residence: latest available year, 2005–2014|website=UN Data |publisher=United Nations |access-date=4 December 2015}}

| m0=4.5|m5=4.3 |m10=4.5 |m15=4.3 |m20=3.4 |m25=3.3 |m30=3 |m35=3.1 |m40=3.4 |m45=3.6 |m50=3 |m55=2.4 |m60=2.2 |m65=1.9 |m70=1.4 |m75=0.7 |m80=0.5 |m85=0

| f0=4.4|f5=4.3 |f10=4 |f15=4.1 |f20=3.7 |f25=3.8 |f30=3.3 |f35=3.6 |f40=3.6 |f45=3.6 |f50=3 |f55=2.4 |f60=2 |f65=1.8 |f70=1.4 |f75=0.9 |f80=0.6 |f85=0

|mmax=4.5

|fmax=4.5

}}

{{Hidden begin

|title= Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 01.XII.2016): {{Cite web |title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=unstats.un.org}}

|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;

}}

class="wikitable"
width="80pt"|Age Group

! width="80pt"|Male

! width="80pt"|Female

! width="80pt"|Total

! width="80pt"|%

align="right" | Total

| align="right" | 8 520

| align="right" | 8 914

| align="right" | 17 434

| align="right" | 100

align="right" | 0–4

| align="right" | 710

| align="right" | 644

| align="right" | 1 354

| align="right" | 7.77

align="right" | 5–9

| align="right" | 768

| align="right" | 733

| align="right" | 1 501

| align="right" | 8.61

align="right" | 10–14

| align="right" | 745

| align="right" | 696

| align="right" | 1 441

| align="right" | 8.27

align="right" | 15–19

| align="right" | 664

| align="right" | 711

| align="right" | 1 375

| align="right" | 7.89

align="right" | 20–24

| align="right" | 569

| align="right" | 656

| align="right" | 1 225

| align="right" | 7.03

align="right" | 25–29

| align="right" | 541

| align="right" | 612

| align="right" | 1 153

| align="right" | 6.61

align="right" | 30–34

| align="right" | 482

| align="right" | 595

| align="right" | 1 077

| align="right" | 6.18

align="right" | 35–39

| align="right" | 483

| align="right" | 533

| align="right" | 1 016

| align="right" | 5.83

align="right" | 40–44

| align="right" | 520

| align="right" | 601

| align="right" | 1 121

| align="right" | 6.43

align="right" | 45–49

| align="right" | 599

| align="right" | 625

| align="right" | 1 224

| align="right" | 7.02

align="right" | 50–54

| align="right" | 642

| align="right" | 623

| align="right" | 1 265

| align="right" | 7.26

align="right" | 55–59

| align="right" | 521

| align="right" | 522

| align="right" | 1 043

| align="right" | 5.98

align="right" | 60–64

| align="right" | 405

| align="right" | 429

| align="right" | 834

| align="right" | 4.78

align="right" | 65–69

| align="right" | 363

| align="right" | 333

| align="right" | 696

| align="right" | 3.99

align="right" | 70–74

| align="right" | 234

| align="right" | 248

| align="right" | 482

| align="right" | 2.76

align="right" | 75–79

| align="right" | 159

| align="right" | 194

| align="right" | 353

| align="right" | 2.02

align="right" | 80+

| align="right" | 115

| align="right" | 159

| align="right" | 274

| align="right" | 1.57

width="50"|Age group

! width="80pt"|Male

! width="80"|Female

! width="80"|Total

! width="50"|Percent

align="right" | 0–14

| align="right" | 2 223

| align="right" | 2 073

| align="right" | 4 296

| align="right" | 24.64

align="right" | 15–64

| align="right" | 5 426

| align="right" | 5 907

| align="right" | 11 333

| align="right" | 65.01

align="right" | 65+

| align="right" | 871

| align="right" | 934

| align="right" | 1 805

| align="right" | 10.35

{{Hidden end}}

Vital statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"

|+Births and deaths{{cite web |url=http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/Vital_Statistics_March_Quarter_2020_Report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116113613/http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/Vital_Statistics_March_Quarter_2020_Report.pdf |archive-date=2020-11-16 |url-status=live |title=VITAL STATISTICS AND POPULATION ESTIMATES MARCH QUARTER 2020 |publisher=MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT |access-date=17 December 2020}}

! width="70"|Year

! width="70"|Population

! width="70"|Live births

! width="70"|Deaths

! width="70"|Natural increase

! width="70"|Crude birth rate

! width="70"|Crude death rate

! width="70"|Rate of natural increase

! width="70"|TFR
{{clarify|date=January 2025}}

align="right" | 2001

| align="right" | 18,027

| align="right" | 315

| align="right" | 88

| align="right" | 227

| align="right" | 21.0

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 2.9

2002

|

|279

|97

|182

|

|

|

|

align="right" | 2003

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 294

| align="right" | 92

| align="right" | 202

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2004

| align="right" | 15,169

| align="right" | 297

| align="right" | 99

| align="right" | 198

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2005

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 275

| align="right" | 91

| align="right" | 184

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2006

| align="right" | 19,342

| align="right" | 279

| align="right" | 85

| align="right" | 194

| align="right" | 19.1

| align="right" | 6.5

| align="right" | 12.6

| align="right" | 2.5

align="right" | 2007

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 296

| align="right" | 84

| align="right" | 212

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2008

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 261

| align="right" | 56

| align="right" | 205

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2009

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 255

| align="right" | 67

| align="right" | 188

| align="right" | 12.6

| align="right" | 3.2

| align="right" | 9.4

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2010

| align="right" |

| align="right" | 286

| align="right" | 92

| align="right" | 194

| align="right" | 12.1

| align="right" | 3.9

| align="right" | 8.2

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2011

| align="right" | 19,300

| align="right" | 262

| align="right" | 72

| align="right" | 190

| align="right" | 17.8

| align="right" | 4.9

| align="right" | 12.9

| align="right" | 2.6

align="right" | 2012

| align="right" | 19,500

| align="right" | 259

| align="right" | 104

| align="right" | 155

| align="right" | 18.1

| align="right" | 7.3

| align="right" | 10.8

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2013

| align="right" | 18,600

| align="right" | 256

| align="right" | 115

| align="right" | 141

| align="right" | 18.2

| align="right" | 8.2

| align="right" | 10.0

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2014

| align="right" | 18,600

| align="right" | 204

| align="right" | 113

| align="right" | 91

| align="right" | 15.0

| align="right" | 8.3

| align="right" | 6.7

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2015

| align="right" | 18,400

| align="right" | 205

| align="right" | 102

| align="right" | 103

| align="right" | 15.5

| align="right" | 7.7

| align="right" | 7.8

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2016

| align="right" | 19,300

| align="right" | 242

| align="right" | 87

| align="right" | 155

| align="right" | 20.5

| align="right" | 7.4

| align="right" | 13.1

| align="right" | 2.5

align="right" | 2017

| align="right" | 19,500

| align="right" | 222

| align="right" | 93

| align="right" | 129

| align="right" | 14.2

| align="right" | 6.0

| align="right" | 8.3

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2018

| align="right" | 20,200

| align="right" | 232

| align="right" | 121

| align="right" |111

| align="right" | 14.6

| align="right" | 7.6

| align="right" | 7.0

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2019

| align="right" | 20,200

| align="right" | 225

| align="right" | 105

| align="right" | 120

| align="right" | 13.1

| align="right" | 6.1

| align="right" | 7.0

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2020

| align="right" | 16,500

| align="right" | 248

| align="right" | 125

| align="right" | 123

| align="right" | 13.9

| align="right" | 7.0

| align="right" | 6.9

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2021

| align="right" | 18,200

| align="right" | 202

| align="right" | 122

| align="right" | 80

| align="right" | 11.6

| align="right" | 7.0

| align="right" | 4.6

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2022

| align="right" | 20,500

| align="right" | 233

| align="right" | 117

| align="right" | 116

| align="right" | 13.2

| align="right" | 6.6

| align="right" | 6.6

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2023

| align="right" | 21,600

| align="right" | 212

| align="right" | 165

| align="right" | 47

| align="right" | 12.6

| align="right" | 9.8

| align="right" | 2.8

| align="right" |

align="right" | 2024

| align="right" | 24,500

| align="right" | 201

| align="right" | 132

| align="right" | 69

| align="right" | 11.6

| align="right" | 7.6

| align="right" | 4.0

| align="right" |

Ethnic groups

{{main|Cook Islanders}}

The indigenous Polynesian people of the Cook Islands are known as Cook Islands Māori. These include speakers of Cook Islands Māori language, closely related to Tahitian and New Zealand Māori, who form the majority of the population and inhabit the southern islands including Rarotonga;{{cite web|url=http://www.paclii.org/ck/legis/num_act/trma2003130/ |title=Te Reo Maori Act 2003 |publisher= Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute |access-date= 2019-01-20}} and also the people of Pukapuka, who speak a language more closely related to Samoan.Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2020). "[https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/puka1242 Pukapuka]". Glottolog 4.2.1. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Cook Islanders of non-indigenous descent include other Pacific Island peoples, Papa'a (Europeans), and those of Asian descent.

class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"

! rowspan=2|Ethnic group{{cite web|url=http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/documents/Statistics_Docs/5.Census-Surveys/6.Population-and-Dwelling_2016/2016_CENSUS_REPORT-FINAL.pdf|title=2016 Cook Islands census|website=mfem.gov.ck|date=2016|page=18|access-date=13 August 2020|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031062651/http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/documents/Statistics_Docs/5.Census-Surveys/6.Population-and-Dwelling_2016/2016_CENSUS_REPORT-FINAL.pdf|url-status=dead}} !! colspan=2|Population!! rowspan=2|Percent
of total !!rowspan=2|Change
{{clarify|date=January 2025}}

20062016
Cook Islands Māori14,93811,57578.20{{decrease}}
Part Cook Islands Māori1,0451,1287.62{{increase}}
Other1,3492,09914.18{{increase}}
Cook Islands, Total ||17,332 || 14,802 || 100 || {{decrease}}

Religion

{{main|Religion in the Cook Islands}}

{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|caption = Religion in the Cook Islands (CIA World Factbook)

|label1 = Reformed Church (Cook Islands Christian Church)

|value1 = 49.1

|color1 = Blue

|label2 = Adventism (Seventh-day Adventist Church)

|value2 = 7.9

|color2 = Cyan

|label3 = Pentecostalism (Assemblies of God, Apostolic Church)

|value3 = 5.8

|color3 = Azure

|label4 = Catholicism

|value4 = 17

|color4 = Purple

|label5 = Mormonism

|value5 = 4.4

|color5 = DarkBlue

|label6 = Other

|value6 = 8

|color6 = Gray

|label7 = No religion

|value7 = 5.6

|color7 = Black

|label8 = No response

|value8 = 2.2

|color8 = White

}}

The Cook Islands are majority-Protestant, with almost half the population being members of the Reformed Cook Islands Christian Church. Other Protestant denominations include Seventh-day Adventists, Assemblies of God and the Apostolic Church (the latter two being Pentecostal denominations). The largest non-Protestant denomination are Roman Catholics, followed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Non-Christian faiths including Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam have small followings primarily by non-indigenous inhabitants.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJ_uOweha-UC&q=cook+islands+census+hindu&pg=PA8|title=Voluntary Service and Development in the Cook Islands|last=Crocombe|first=R. G.|date=1990|publisher=University of the South Pacific|isbn=9789820200234|pages=8|language=en|author-link=R. G. Crocombe}}

Languages

{{Oceania topic|Demographics of}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Category:Geography of the Cook Islands