Skip to main content
25th Edition
World
Languages
Countries
Insights
About
Help
Cook Islands
Print
Primary tabs
Country
Languages
Status
(active tab)
Maps
Expand All
Collapse All
1 (National)
English
[eng]
1 (National). Statutory national language (1965, Constitution, Article 35). 17,680 in Cook Islands, all users. L1 users: 680 in Cook Islands (2011 SIL). L2 users: 17,000 (2012 M. Salisbury).
6b (Threatened)
Cook Islands Maori
[rar]
6b* (Threatened). Statutory language of national identity (1965, Constitution, Article 35), limited use in higher government domains. 13,100 in Cook Islands (2011 census), decreasing. 2,035 Aitutaki, 481 Atiu, 573 Mangaia, 307 Mauke, 189 Mitiaro (2011 census). Speaker numbers rapidly decreasing, especially in the diaspora (Wurm 2007). Total users in all countries: 27,200.
Pukapuka
[pkp]
6b* (Threatened). Recognized language (2003, Te Reo Maori Act, Articles 2(b) and 4), Te Reo Maori is deemed to include Pukapukan as spoken or written in Pukapuka. 700 in Cook Islands (2011 census), decreasing. 451 Pukapuka, 73 Nassau Island (Census), plus approximately 200 L1 speakers on Rarotonga (Pue village), less a few non-Pukapukan spouses most of whom speak Pukapuka as L2 (2015 M. Salisbury). Ethnic population: 700 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 3,100.
7 (Shifting)
Penrhyn
[pnh]
7 (Shifting). 200 (2011 census).
Rakahanga-Manihiki
[rkh]
7 (Shifting). 320 in Cook Islands (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 2,820.