With the fresh announcement of our Least Visited Counties Tour you might have noticed some new destinations have been added. Some of these are “for sure” countries, while others are more ambiguous. So, is the Cook Islands a country.

What is a country?

Not quite as a hot a potato as “what is a woman” (we are staying out of that one), but one that comes up a lot when we are on tour.

Many argue that it is only the 193 of the United Nations plus Taiwan and Vatican City. These people though would not count other non-EU sates, such as Transnistria.

We and others such as at Mark O’Travel would place the last at more like 150+, and other still such as DontStopLiving.net and the Travelers Century Club counting any cat that claims their living room, or the different parts of the UAE.

Ours lies somewhere in the middle, with our list being available here. We also have the Principality of Islandia, which we certainly believe in.

Is the Cook Islands a country?

OK, so lets not Segway the question of it the Cook Islands a country! The Cook Islands is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, who basically have an almost the same system as the Marshall Islands does with the United States, with the former most considering country.

And while some things are looked after by New Zealand – with the King of New Zealand – a Mr King Charles being their head of state. Formerly they used the Cook Islands Dollar, but now they basically use the New Zealand Dollar.

Internationally they are very active in the Pacific Community, as well as being reprinted by a soccer team, as well as a very very good Rugby League side (they also play Rugby Union.

So in our minds, is the Cook Islands a Country? Yes it is.

And you can see it yourself when we visit Rarotonga