Cook Islands at the 2008 Summer Olympics events (with the exception of weightlifting, where the first round was the only round) and did not go on to win medals. Pera was the nation's flag bearer at the ceremonies. The Cook Islands are a collection of fifteen islands lying in the South Pacific Ocean that are governed under a single parliamentary entity. Some 10,000 people live in the dependency. The country is in a free association with New Zealand, who handles the nation's external affairs. The Cook Islands became self-governing in 1965. 23 years later, the Cook Islands sent their first delegation to the Olympics at the 1988
Culture of the Cook Islands and coffee are popular beverages among the Cook Islanders. Like in many of the other islands of the Pacific, Rugby Union is a popular sport. The Cook Islands national rugby union team began playing on the international stage in 1971. Sevens rugby is also played and has its own association, as does netball, sevens rugby, weightlifting and powerlifting, table tennis, Tae Kwon-Do, and volleyball. The Cook Islands Round Cup is the top division of the Cook Islands Football Association and plays at the National Stadium among other venues. Bowling is popular, and the Cook Islands have at least six clubs