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fiogf49gjkf0d GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
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THE COOK ISLANDS LIE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN 3,000KM
NORTHEAST OF NEW ZEALAND AND HAVE A TOTAL AREA OF 241KM.
THE 15 ISLANDS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO A SOUTHERN GROUP OF
EIGHT ISLANDS AND A NORTHERN GROUP OF SEVEN. RAROTONGA,
MANGAIA, MAUKE, ATIU AND MITIARO IN THE SOUTHERN GROUP ARE
HIGH VOLCANIC ISLANDS. AITUTAKI IS OF VOLCANIC ORIGIN BUT
ERODED. THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE COOKS IS TE MANGA ON
RAROTONGA RISING 653M. THE CENTRAL PEAKS OR HILLS ON THE
NORTHERN ISLANDS SLOPE DOWN TO SWAMPY LOWLANDS; THESE END
ABRUPTLY ON THE EDGE OF JAGGED CORALLINE CLIFFS CALLED
"MAKETEA". NARROW BEACHES LIE BELOW THESE WITH BARRIER
REEFS IN THE LAGOON WATERS BEYOND.
MANU'AE & TAKUTEA IN THE SOUTHERN GROUP & ALL OF THE NORTHERN
COOKS: PENRHYN, MANIHIKI, RAKAHANGA, PUKAPUKA, NASSAU,
SUWARROW AND PALMERSTON, ARE TRUE LOW-LYING REEFATOLLS.
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