Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
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Geographic coordinates:
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25 04 S, 130 06 W
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total: 47 sq km
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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51 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
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Terrain:
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rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
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Natural resources:
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miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
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Land use:
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arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons (especially November to March)
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
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Geography - note:
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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
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of the UK
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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Adamstown
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Administrative divisions:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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National holiday:
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Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
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Constitution:
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30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
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Legal system:
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local island by-laws
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal with three years residency
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Executive branch:
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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 Richard FELL (since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
head of government: Governor Richard FELL; Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held December 2007)
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held in 24 December 2005 (next to be held December 2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
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Judicial branch:
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Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor
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Political parties and leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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SPC, UPU
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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Flag description:
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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 coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
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Economy - overview:
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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. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$NA
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Labor force:
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15 able-bodied men (2004)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
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Budget:
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revenues: $746,000
expenditures: $1.028 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY04/05)
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Agriculture - products:
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honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens
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Industries:
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postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator
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Exports:
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$NA
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Exports - commodities:
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fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
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Imports:
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$NA
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Imports - commodities:
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fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$3.465 million (2004)
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Currency (code):
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New Zealand dollar (NZD)
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Exchange rates:
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New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001)
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Disputes - international:
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none
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This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006
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