Flag of the Cook Islands
Locally Kūki 'Āirani
What the flag looks like
A dark blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist corner and a ring of fifteen white five-pointed stars in the fly.
What it means
The fifteen stars stand for the fifteen islands, and the ring for the unity of their people; the Union Jack recalls the link with the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
How to remember it
The Cook Islands
set their stars in a circle: fifteen white stars in a ring, one per island, where New Zealand
and Australia
scatter theirs as the Southern Cross.
Fun facts
- From 1973 to 1979 the flag was green with a ring of fifteen golden stars.
- Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens, and far more of them live in New Zealand than in the islands.
Cook Islands at a glance
- Status
- Self-governing in free association with New Zealand
- Sovereign state
- Realm of New Zealand
- Capital
- Avarua
- Region
- Free association with New Zealand
- Population
- 15,040
- Area
- 236 km²
- Languages
- English, Cook Islands Māori
- Currency
- New Zealand dollar ($)
- Flag adopted
- 1979
Flags often confused with the Cook Islands
- New Zealand: The Cook Islands and New Zealand are both dark blue with the Union Jack in the corner. The Cook Islands have fifteen white stars in a ring; New Zealand has four red stars with white edges in the Southern Cross.
- Australia: Australia and the Cook Islands are both dark blue with the Union Jack and white stars. Australia's stars form the Southern Cross with a large star under the Jack; the Cook Islands' fifteen stars form a ring.
- Anguilla: Anguilla and the Cook Islands are both Blue Ensigns with a circle in the fly. Anguilla's circle is three orange dolphins on a white and turquoise shield; the Cook Islands' is a ring of fifteen white stars straight on the blue.