rp21 situational analysis - Pacific Health Voices

Situational analysis of drug and alcohol issues and responses in the Pacific
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Demographics
Population estimates for the Cook Islands are
as high as 20 000 132 and as low as 12 271. 133
The difficulty that temporary and permanent
migration creates for calculating accurate
estimates has been highlighted by the Cook
Island Statistics Office, which notes that
approximately three to four times as many
Cook Islanders live overseas as in the Cook
Islands. 134 It is estimated that the Cook Island
Maori population living abroad is 58 000. 135
In the Cook Islands, the population is concentrated
in Rarotonga (72.3 per cent),
with 20.6 per cent of residents living in the
Southern Island group and 7.1 per cent in
the Northern Island group. 136 The impact of
this concentration is that many of the outer
islands are less developed, thus perpetuating
the urban flow. In addition, under current arrangements
with New Zealand, Cook Islanders
have the benefit of automatic entry and
dual citizenship. 137 This allows Cook Islanders
to live and work in Australia, contributing to
population mobility.
The Cook Islands population is comprised
of a 90 per cent Cook Islands Maori majority
and very small minorities, including 9
per cent Europeans and 1 per cent Filipino,
Fijian-Indians, Samoans, Tongans, Kiribati
and New Zealand Maori. 138 The risk profile
of the minority groups is unclear, as drug
and alcohol consumption research tends to
focus on the Cook Island Maori population.
Notably migration to the Cook Islands by
people of other ethnic origin is increasing
and this may change the dynamics of drug
and alcohol consumption in the future.
The majority of Cook Islanders practise some
form of religion including: Cook Islands Christian
Church 55.9 per cent; Roman Catholic
16.8 per cent; Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9
per cent; Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) 3.8
per cent; other Protestant 5.8 per cent; other
4.2 per cent; unspecified 2.6 per cent; none
3 per cent (2001 Census). 139 Significantly,
research indicates that, in Pacific Islander
populations outside their country of origin,
religious affiliation has been a significant
132 Ibid.
133 Profile on the Cook Islands in CIA, The World Factbook, available at: (accessed October 2008).
134 Cook Islands Statistics Office & Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Demographic profile of the
Cook Islands 1996–2002, available at:
(accessed December 2009).
135 Ibid.
136 Ibid.
137 Ibid.
138 Ibid.
139 Above, fn.131.