Search the SPREP Catalogue

Between 4 February and 8 March 2005, the Cook Islands experienced five damaging cyclones within a period of five weeks, four of which were assigned a severity rating of Category 51 and caused damage to homes and essential public infrastructure. The Government and its agencies provided early warning information dissemination, evacuation and emergency relief to the affected population with the support of international and regional relief agencies. Following the cyclones, the Government assessed the physical damage but it lacked all of the necessary capacity and resources to finance the immediate recovery and reinstatement of basic services.

The Cook Islands' real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.5 percent per annum during 1982-1994, while the real GDP per capita growth rate was 3.6 percent. During 1995- 1998, as the population declined from 19,500 to 17,400 with the migration of Cook Islanders to New Zealand, real GDP declined at an average annual rate of 2.8 percent, and real GDP per capita stagnated. The recession largely reflected public service downsizing under the Economic Reform Program. In 1999, real GDP is estimated to grow by 2.7 percent as a result of a resurgence in tourism, growth in black pearl production, construction projects, and a recovery in commercial agricultural production.