The Cook Islands - paradise on earth Quiz

Answer: Rarotonga

Rarotonga is the largest island in the Cook Islands and is by far the most populated. The national parliament, the national stadium and the international airport are all on the island of Rarotonga. Aitutaki is in the Cook Islands. Tonga and Papeete are not.

Answer: Kia Orana

Everywhere you go in the Cook Islands, you are welcomed with a hearty 'Kia Orana'. It not only means hello but also carries a meaning of 'long life to you'.

Answer: New Zealand Dollar

The Cook Islands are a semi-independent protectorate of New Zealand. Thus, the New Zealand dollar is used as the national currency. There are also some local coins which are used, but these are now becoming less common.

Answer: Viti Levu

Aitutaki and Atiu are both populated islands in the Southern Group of the Cook Islands. Penrhyn is a sparsely populated island in the Northern Group of the Cook Islands. Viti Levu is the most populated island of the Fiji Islands.

Answer: True

Rarotonga is a small island. There are two main roads that circle the island. It only takes about 45 minutes to drive around the whole island. On a world map, Rarotonga is just a dot in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean.

Answer: motor scooter

Everyone in the Cook Islands gets around the island by motor scooter. There certainly are cars, bicycles and a bus as well but the scooters are the kings of the road. A warning for tourists - the 'Rarotonga tattoo' is an all too common injury suffered by visitors. It is where the back of the leg gets burned by the exhaust pipe as you get off your scooter!

Answer: False

The southern coast of Rarotonga is surrounded by a coral reef meaning that the sea immediately off the southern coast is very shallow - no more than 1.3 meters deep in most places. This makes it ideal for swimming, snorkelling, and watersports.

Answer: True

As there are limited tertiary training facilities in the Cook Islands and the opportunities for success are better away from the islands, many Cook Islanders live in New Zealand and Australia. The number of Cook Islanders still living in the Cook Islands is under half that of those living elsewhere.

Answer: Black Pearl

As in French Polynesia, the cultured black pearl is one of the most highly sought after jewels in the Cook Islands. The northern group islands of Manihiki and Penrhyn are world famous for producing beautiful black pearls. Diving for these beautiful pearls is a prestigious activity in the Cook Islands.

Answer: Captain Cook

The Cook Islands are named after the great British explorer, Captain Cook. Captain James Cook first sighted the Manuae atoll in the Southern Group of islands in 1773 and then discovered the islands of Palmerston, Tukutea, Mangaia and Atiu in 1777.