· Constitutional change
Cook Islands free association begins, 1965
The Cook Islands became self-governing in free association with New Zealand.
Significance here: The foundational constitutional arrangement still in force today.
Political status and decolonisation
Timeline: Cook Islands constitutional history
Dated events associated with this case. Each event is a shared record: the same event appears identically wherever it is relevant.
- Status verified as of
-
-
· Agreement
Cook Islands-China strategic partnership, 2025
An unconsulted agreement with China caused tensions with New Zealand, later eased by a defence pact.
Significance here: A significant external-relations controversy distinct from, but relevant to understanding, the practical limits of Cook Islands' free-association autonomy.
Dates show their real precision. Approximate or uncertain dates are labelled and never converted into an exact day.