The Polynesian Triangle

Polynesia is a large grouping of over 1000 islands within the central and southern Pacific Ocean.

It can be broadly represented as a triangle with its corners at Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island, with Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia located within the triangle.

COOK ISLANDS
The Cook Islands consists of fifteen widely dispersed islands in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean between French Polynesia (East), Kiribati (North) and Fiji (West).

The country is broadly divided into two distinctive island groups. The Southern Group includes the nine volcanic islands of Rarotonga (the main capital island), Aitutaki, Mangaia, Atiu, Manuae, Mauke, Mitiaro, Palmeston and Takutea. The Northern Group includes the six islands of Manihiki, Nassau, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga and Suwarrow.

The indigenous Cook Island Maori are closely related ethnically to Tahiti, Hawaiian group and New Zealand Maori people.

The population of the Cook Islands is less than 20,000 people. Large numbers have migrated to New Zealand, Australia and other countries.