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The economy of the Cook Islands is based mainly on tourism, with minor exports made up of tropical and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit-processing, clothing and handicrafts.
As in many other South Pacific nations, the Cook Islands's economy is hindered by the country's isolation from foreign markets, lack of natural resources aside from fish, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure.
Trade deficits are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. Efforts to exploit tourism potential, encourage offshore banking, and expand the mining and fishing industries have been partially successful in stimulating investment and growth.
The Cook Islands developed an offshore financial services industry in the early 1980s.[3] Allegations that New Zealand-based companies were using it as a tax haven led to the Winebox Inquiry in New Zealand in the 1990s, and in 2000 it was listed as a tax haven by the OECD.[4] In 2002 it was delisted after it agreed to fiscal transparency and to exchange tax information.[5][6] Allegations of being a tax haven re-emerged in 2013 following the International Consortium of Investigative JournalistsOffshore Leaks.[7][8] Trusts incorporated in the Cook Islands are used to provide anonymity and asset-protection.[9] The Cook Islands also featured in the Panama Papers,[10]Paradise Papers,[11][12] and Pandora Papers[13][14] financial leaks.
Economist Vaine Nooana-Arioka has been executive director of the Bank of the Cook Islands since 2008.[15]
Economic statistics
GDP
Purchasing power parity - $183.2 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-.05% (2005); -1.2% (2014); -1.7% (2013). Growth in the Cook Islands has slowed due to a lack of infrastructure projects and accommodation capacity constraints in the tourism sector. Cook Islands economic activity is expected to be flat in FY2016; to grow by 0.2% in FY2017. Inflation 1.8% (FY2016); 2.0% (FY2017). Statistics Asian Development Bank
Telecom Cook Islands Ltd (TCI) is the sole provider of telecommunications in the Cook Islands. TCI is a private company owned by Spark New Zealand Ltd (60%) and the Cook Islands Government (40%). In operation since July 1991, TCI provides local, national and international telecommunications as well as internet access on all islands except Suwarrow. Communications to Suwarrow is via HF radio.
