Avarua
Avarua | |
|---|---|
District and town | |
Cook Islands National Auditorium Para O Tane Palace CICC Church Cook Islands National Museum University of the South Pacific | |
_map.png) Location of Avarua (star) | |
 Districts and tapere of Rarotonga | |
| Coordinates: 21°12′25″S 159°46′15″W / 21.20694°S 159.77083°W | |
| Country | Cook Islands[a] |
| Island | Rarotonga |
| Area | |
• Total | 28 km2 (11 sq mi) |
| Population (2016) | |
• Total | 4,906 |
| Time zone | UTC-10:00 (CKT) |
| Area code | +682 |
| Climate | Af |
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.[a] 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 only airport (Rarotonga International Airport) and Avatiu harbour located here.
History
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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]
| Climate data for Avarua | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.8 (83.8) |
29.1 (84.4) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.9 (76.8) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.3 (79.3) |
27.2 (81.0) |
28.0 (82.4) |
27.0 (80.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.9 (78.6) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.2 (79.2) |
25.4 (77.7) |
23.7 (74.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
24.4 (75.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
24.2 (75.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.1 (73.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
21.0 (69.8) |
20.1 (68.2) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.7 (67.5) |
19.9 (67.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.4 (70.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 256 (10.1) |
229 (9.0) |
219 (8.6) |
246 (9.7) |
199 (7.8) |
128 (5.0) |
112 (4.4) |
141 (5.6) |
138 (5.4) |
121 (4.8) |
171 (6.7) |
246 (9.7) |
2,206 (86.8) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[8] | |||||||||||||
Economy
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]- ^ a b Cook Islands is self-governing state while in free association with New Zealand.
References
[edit]- ^ "Cook Islands". NZ History. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Pacific Islands of New Zealand". Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Cook Islands". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Biggest towns in Rarotonga". Cook Islands guide. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Official Map of Rarotonga". Cook Islands Ministry of justice. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ "Table 6: Rarotonga Total Population by Census Districts and Age Groups" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- ^ 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. Retrieved 2 May 2017 – via epress.lib.uts.edu.au.
- ^ a b "Climate data of Avarua". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "Cook Islands profile" (PDF). Cook Islands Ministry of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Cook Islands Climate survey report" (PDF). Cook Islands Statistics Office. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Cook Islands Library & Museum Society". Cook Islands Museum Society. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "National museum & library in Avarua". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Rarotonga International Airport". Skybrary. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Cook Islands road network". Log cluster. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Getting around". Cook Islands. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Cook Islands Port: A Vital Sea Link for Pacific Shipping". Asian Development Bank. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Honolulu signs 'historic' sister-city agreements with Rarotonga, Cook Islands". Hawaii News Now. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Avarua at Wikimedia Commons- Photo of Government Radio Station Rarotonga c1950
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