KAP. 4.

Cottage hospitals have been built at Aitutaki, Atiu, Mauke, Penrhyn,
Manihiki, Pukapuka, and Mangaia. They are managed by doctors.
On the islands of Mitiaro, Nassau, Rakahanga and Palmerston there
are small dispensaries managed by dressers. Referral of cases to base
hospital when required is by aircraft or boat; patients needing specialist
treatment are referred to New Zealand.
The group is served by one doctor for every 1000 people. The dental
service includes nine dental officers.
Diseases. The Cook Islands are generally free from common diseases
prevalent in other tropical islands. Filariasis is endemic but active vector
control and mass treatment of the population continues. Malaria
does not exit. Metabolic disorders and hypertension are prevalent and
veneral disease is increasing. In 1985 the crude birth rate was 24.6 and
the crude death rate 6.9 per 1000.
THE LAND. The total land area of the islands is 240 sq. km situated
in 2.2 million sq. km of sea. The largest island is Rarotonga (65 sq. km),
followed by Mangaia (51 sq. km). No other island is more than 30 sq.
km. The other 13 islands are Aitutaki, Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke, Manuae,
Takutea and Palmerston in the Southern Group and Penrhyn,
Manihiki, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, Nassau and Suwarrow in the Northern
Group.
The islands extend 1400 km from Penrhyn, situated 9 deg. south of
the equator, to Mangaia, which is just north of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Rarotonga is about 10 km wide and 32 km in circumference. The
highest peaks are Te Manga (652 m) and Te Atukura (639 m), both on
Rarotonga.
A whole range of relief patterns is noted, from the submerged volcanic
peaks of the northern atolls covered with coral, to the steep,
raised volcanic peaks of Rarotonga with its narrow fringing reef.
Mangaia and Atiu are both surrounded by a makatea – a raised,
former coral reef, like castle walls, with limestone caves inside. Mitiaro
has lower cliffs, with a lake inside as the beginning of a lagoon.
Natural features. All the islands of the Northern Group, as well as
Manuae and Takutea in the south, are coral atolls, generally enclosing
a lagoon. The remaining six islands of the Southern Group are more
elevated. The lagoon of Aitutaki is regarded as one of the most beautiful
in the Pacific.
Soil. The atoll soil permits only restricted growth, however the deeper
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