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1596 - Spaniard Alvaro de Mendana is the first European to sight the islands.
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1773 - Captain James Cook explores the islands and names them the Hervey Islands. Fifty years later they are renamed in his honour.
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1821 - English and Tahitian missionaries arrive, become the first non-native settlers.
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people first arrived at the cook island in the 1821
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1888 - Cook Islands are proclaimed a British protectorate and a single federal parliament is established.
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1901 - Islands are annexed to New Zealand.
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1946 - Legislative Council is established. For the first time since 1912, the territory has direct representation.
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1965 5 August - Islands become a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. Albert Henry, leader of the Cook Islands Party, is elected as the territory's first prime minister.
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1974 - Prime Minister Albert Henry is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
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1979 - Albert Henry is found guilty of electoral fraud and is stripped of his knighthood.
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1981 - Constitution is amended. Parliament grows from 22 to 24 seats and the parliamentary term is extended from four to five years.
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1985 - Agreement on creating a South Pacific nuclear-free zone - the Rarotonga Treaty - is opened for signing on the main island.
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1997 - November - Cyclone Martin kills at least six people; 80% of buildings are damaged and the black pearl industry suffers severe losses.
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2002 - Prime Minister Terepai Maoate is ousted from government following second vote of no-confidence in his leadership
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2004 December - Recount reveals tie between Prime Minister Robert Woonton and his challenger in September's election. High Court orders by-election. Jim Marurai is sworn in as new premier.
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2004 April - Prime Minister Robert Woonton visits China; Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao grants $16m in development aid.
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2004 September - General elections: Ruling Democratic Party wins majority, incumbent PM Robert Woonton keeps his seat by four-vote margin.
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2005 February-March - Four cyclones in as many weeks hit the territory, causing widespread damage
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2006 September - Parliamentary elections. The Democratic Party keeps majority of seats in parliament, but parliament is unable to meet as a result of petitions filed by the Cook Islands Party over alleged voting irregularities.
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2006 July - Snap election is called after a by-election tips the parliamentary balance of power in favour of the opposition Cook Islands Party.