Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Pitcairn Islands as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
17 fieldsNatural resources
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Environment - current issues
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Geography - note
- 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
People and Society
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population
Languages
English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008)
20 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
- conventional short form:
- Pitcairn Islands
Capital
- name:
- Adamstown
- geographic coordinates:
- 25 04 S, 130 05 W
- time difference:
- UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Executive branch
- 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 Victoria M. TREADELL (since May 2010);
- Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
- head of government:
- Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008)
- cabinet:
- NA; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch;
- island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term;
- election last held in December 2010 (next to be held in December 2013)
- election results:
- Mike WARREN reelected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
Legislative branch
unicameral Island Council (11 seats; mayor, deputy mayor, 4 members elected by popular vote, 1 member appointed by the governor, 3 ex officio members including governor, deputy governor, and commissioner; deputy mayor and elected members serve two-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 24 December 2009 (next to be held on 24 December 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA; seats - 4 independents
Judicial branch
- Magistrate's Court;
- Supreme Court;
- Court of Appeal;
- judicial officers are appointed by the governor
Flag description
- 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 slip of miro (a local plant)
National anthem
- name:
- "We From Pitcairn Island"
- lyrics/music:
- unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.
12 fieldsEconomy - overview
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.
Labor force - by occupation
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.289 (2012) · 1.263 (2011) · 1.3874 (2010) · 1.6002 (2009) · 1.4151 (2008)
Communications
3 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- satellite phone services
- domestic:
- domestic communication via radio (CB)
- international:
- country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)
Transportation
1 fieldMilitary
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Pitcairn Islands.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/pitcairn-islands/2012.