1987 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1987 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical, hot, humid, modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Coastline
51 km
Comparative area
- about one-fourth the size of Washington, D.C.
- smaller than New
Environment
subject to typhoons (especially November to March)
Exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Land use
NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other
Special notes
none
Terrain
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Total area
- 47 km?; land area: 47 km?
- 312,680 km?; land area: 304,510 km?
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
descendants of Bounty mutineers
Labor force
no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Language
English (official); also a Tahitian/English dialect
Literacy
probably high
Nationality
noun—Pitcairn Islander(s); adjective—Pitcairn Islander
Population
62 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 3.28%
Religion
100% Seventh Day-Adventists
Government
Branches
administered locally by Island Council consisting of four elected island officers, a secretary, and five nominated members
Communists
none
Elections
annual; Island Magistrate elected for a 3-year term
Government leaders
Terence D. O’LEARY, Governor and UK High Commissioner to New Zealand (since 1982); B. YOUNG, Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island Council (since 1985)
Legal system
Island Court; provisions for a Supreme Court
Official name
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
Suffrage
18 years old and 3 years residency
Type
British dependent territory Capital; Adamstown
Economy
Agriculture
local use—citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, taro, beans, pumpkin, coconuts, wild goats, poultry
Budget
revenue $NZ812,639, expenditure $NZ1,119,882 (1983/84 est.)
Electric power
25 kW capacity; .05 million kWh produced, 810 kWh per capita (1986)
Exports
fruits, vegetables, curios
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
Fishing
plentiful
GNP
expenditure $NZ911,000 (1981/82); bartering important part of life
Imports
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Major industries
postage stamp sales
Monetary conversion rate
NZ$1.93=US$1 (November 1986)
Natural resources
miro trees (used for handicrafts)
Communications
Airfields
none
Highways
6.4 km dirt roads
Ports
boat harbor and jetty at Bounty Bay
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
24 telephones; party line telephone service on the island; radio station at Taro Ground; diesel generator provides electricity