Avarua

Avarua (meaning "Two Harbours" in Māori) is a district and town in the north of the island of Rarotonga, the largest island of the Cook Islands.[lower-alpha 1] It serves as the capital of the Island territory and is further sub-divided into 19 tapere (sub-districts). As per 2016 census, the district had a population of 4,096 individuals. It is an important commercial and economic center with the island's main airport (Rarotonga International Airport) and Avatiu harbour located here.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Administration
* 3 Climate
* 4 Economy
* 5 Transportation
* 6 Sister cities
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## History

The town became a British protectorate in 1888 after sign-off from the indigenous Māori and became part of New Zealand in 1901. A Resident Commissioner governed until 1946, after which the Cook Islands began transitioning to self-governance. In 1965, the islands achieved self-governance and remained in free association with New Zealand with the external affairs and yearly grants controlled by New Zealand.[1][2]

## Administration

Avarua is one of the five districts of Rarotonga, the largest island and is the capital of the Cook Islands.[3][4] The district of Avarua is subdivided into 19 tapere (traditional sub-districts) grouped into six census districts (listed from west to east)- Nikao-Panama, Avatiu-Ruatonga, Tutakimoa-Teotue, Takuvaine-Parekura, Tupapa-Maraerenga, and Pue-Matavera.[5][6] As per 2016 census, the population of Avarua District was 4,906 inhabitants.[7]

Census district  | Tapere  | Population (2016)[3]

|
|

Nikao-Panama  | Pokoinu, Nikao, Puapuautu  | 1,373
Avatiu-Ruatonga  | Areanu, Kaikaveka, Atupa, Avatiu, Ruatonga  | 951
Tutakimoa-Teotue  | Tutakimoa  | 314
Takuvaine-Parekura  | Tauae, Takuvaine  | 786
Tupapa-Maraerenga  | Ngatipa, Vaikai  | 531
Pue-Matavera  | Tapae-I-Uta, Tapae, Pue, Punamaia, Kiikii, Tupapa  | 1490

## Climate

Avarua has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) according to the Köppen climate classification with high temperatures and rainfall throughout the year. Although there are no true wet or dry seasons, there is a noticeably wetter stretch from December to April.[8]

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## Economy

Being the capital, Avarua functions as an economic and commercial centre, with its economy driven by retail, tourism services, government administration, and financial services.[9] The wider economy depends on tourism, supported by heritage and ecosystem services [10] Avarua hosts the Sir Geoffrey Henry National Culture Centre, which includes the National Library (Runanga Puka) and the Cook Islands National Museum, and the Cook Islands Library & Museum.[11][12]

## Transportation

The Rarotonga International Airport lies in Avarua, providing air links to New Zealand and Australia.[13] It is connected via Ara Tapu, a coastal ring road encircling the island, and the inner Ara Metua, built in the 11th century, skirting the interior.[14] Public buses traverse the ring road, both in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.[15] Avatiu Harbour, near Avarua, serves as the main commercial port and cruise ships anchor offshore of the harbour.[16]

## Sister cities

On 7 June 2024, Prime Minister Mark Brown of the Cook Islands and Tou Travel Ariki, President of the House of Ariki, signed a sister city agreement between Avarua, Rarotonga, and Honolulu, Hawaii.[17]

## Notes

1. ↑ Cook Islands is self-governing state while in free association with New Zealand.

## References

1. ↑ "Cook Islands". NZ History. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/cook-islands.
2. ↑ "Pacific Islands of New Zealand". Government of New Zealand. https://teara.govt.nz/en/pacific-islands-and-new-zealand/page-5.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Cook Islands". Citypopulation.de. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/cook/.
4. ↑ "Biggest towns in Rarotonga". Cook Islands guide. https://cookislandspocketguide.com/the-biggest-towns-villages-in-rarotonga-the-cook-islands/.
5. ↑ "Official Map of Rarotonga". Cook Islands Ministry of justice. http://www.justice.gov.ck/index.php/maps/official-map-of-rarotonga.
6. ↑ "Table 6: Rarotonga Total Population by Census Districts and Age Groups". http://www.stats.gov.ck/Statistics/CensusSurveys/census06/Cen06-Tab6.pdf.
7. ↑ Hassall, Graham; Tipu, Feue (28 April 2008). "Local Government in the South Pacific Islands". Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance (1): 7–29. doi:10.5130/cjlg.v1i0.766. http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/766. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Climate data of Avarua". Climate-Data.org. https://en.climate-data.org/oceania/cook-islands/avarua/avarua-3314/.
9. ↑ "Cook Islands profile". Cook Islands Ministry of Internal Affairs. https://intaff.gov.ck/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/CK_Gender_Profile_FINAL_14-11.pdf.
10. ↑ "Cook Islands Climate survey report". Cook Islands Statistics Office. https://stats.gov.ck/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Cook_Islands_Climate_Change_Survey_report_2023_2024.pdf.
11. ↑ "Cook Islands Library & Museum Society". Cook Islands Museum Society. https://cookislandsmuseum.org/.
12. ↑ "National museum & library in Avarua". Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Avarua.
13. ↑ "Rarotonga International Airport". Skybrary. https://skybrary.aero/airports/ncrg.
14. ↑ "Cook Islands road network". Log cluster. https://lca.logcluster.org/23-cook-islands-road-network.
15. ↑ "Getting around". Cook Islands. https://cookislands.travel/how-to-book/getting-around.
16. ↑ "Cook Islands Port: A Vital Sea Link for Pacific Shipping". Asian Development Bank. 6 November 2013. https://www.adb.org/results/cook-islands-port-vital-sea-link-pacific-shipping.
17. ↑ "Honolulu signs ‘historic’ sister-city agreements with Rarotonga, Cook Islands". Hawaii News Now. 7 June 2024. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/06/07/honolulu-become-sister-city-with-rarotonga-cook-islands/.

## External links

* Photo of Government Radio Station Rarotonga c1950

Template:Cook Islands Template:List of Oceanian capitals by region

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