raised coral atoll of the southern Cook Islands, a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Its first sighting by a European (1777) was by the English navigator Capt. James Cook. The island is very low and occupies about 0.5 square mile (about 1.25 square km) of land. There are no safe anchorages. The island is a wildlife sanctuary, and there is no permanent population.