History of the Cook Islands History of the Cook Islands The Cook Islands are named after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777. The Cook Islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, the islands were annexed as British territory. In 1901, the islands were included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand. The Cook Islands contain 15 islands in the group spread over a vast area in the South Pacific. The majority of islands are low coral atolls in the Northern Group, with Rarotonga, a volcanic island in the Southern Group, as the main administration and government
Cook Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics than male athletes at an Olympic circuit. The Cook Islands roster featured three returning Olympians from London 2012, including sprinter Patricia Taea (women's 100 m), weightlifter Luisa Peters (women's +75 kg), and slalom kayaker Ella Nicholas, who accepted the honor of being the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony, along with her older brother Bryden. Cook Islands, however, has yet to win an Olympic medal. Cook Islands has received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics. Cook Islands canoeists have qualified a maximum of one boat in each of the