Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
25 04 S, 130 06 W
Oceania
total: 47 sq km
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 234
about three-tenths the size of Washington, DC
0 km
51 km
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish, note, manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
arable land: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
forest: 74.5% (2011 est.)
other: 25.5% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
less than 50 inhabitants on Pitcairn Island, most reside near the village of Adamstown
occasional tropical cyclones (especially November to March), but generally only heavy tropical storms; landslides
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore
54 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 238
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander
other descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
0% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
less than 50 inhabitants on Pitcairn Island, most reside near the village of Adamstown
urban population: 0% of total population(2012)
rate of urbanization: NA
NA
total: NA (2018)
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA (2017 est.)
male: NA
female: NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
etymology: named after Midshipman Robert PITCAIRN who first sighted the island in 1767
overseas territory of the UK
parliamentary democracy
name: Adamstown
geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W
time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after John Adams (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in January 1790
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)
history: several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010
local island by-laws
see United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Laura CLARK (since 25 January 2018)
head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 9 November 2016)
cabinet: none
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term; election last held on 9 November 2016 (next to be held not later than December 2019)
election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN reelected mayor and chairman of the Island Council; Island Council vote - NA
description: unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 4 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 1 nominated by the elected Council members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 3 ex-officio members - the governor, deputy governor, and commissioner; elected members serve 1-year terms)
elections: last held in November 2017 (next to be held not later than December 2019)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 5 independent; composition - men 5, women 5, percent of women 50%
highest courts: Pitcairn Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, 2 judges, and the Supreme Court chief justice, an ex-officio member); Pitcairn Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 judges); note - appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the Queen of England through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75
subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court
none
SPC, UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean; the green field features a yellow anchor surmounted by a bible (both the anchor and the bible were items found on the HMS Bounty); sitting on the crest is a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow from which springs a flowering twig of miro (a local plant)
name: We From Pitcairn Island
lyrics/music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.
NA
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
15 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 232
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
revenues: 746,000 (FY04/05)
expenditures: 1.028 million (FY04/05)
1 April - 31 March
NA
honey, fruits, vegetables, curios, postage stamps
NA
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
(31 December 2009 est.)
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
1.416 (2017 est.)
1.4279 (2016 est.)
1.4279 (2015)
1.4279 (2014 est.)
1.2039 (2013 est.)
general assessment: satellite-based phone services; rural connectivity a challenge (2018)
domestic: local phone service with international connections via Internet (2018)
international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)
satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels
.pn
total: 54
percent of population: 100% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
satellite-based local phone service and broadband Internet connections available in all homes
defense is the responsibility of the UK
total: 0 km
country comparison to the world: 215
major seaport(s): Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)
none