2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
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
Area
total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Coastline
51 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
Environment - current issues
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Geographic coordinates
25 04 S, 130 06 W
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
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA
Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
typhoons (especially November to March)
Natural resources
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Terrain
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate
NA (2008 est.)
Ethnic groups
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Languages
English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Literacy
NA
Nationality
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Net migration rate
NA (2008 est.)
Population
48 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
0% (2008 est.)
Religions
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Sex ratio
NA
Total fertility rate
NA (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Capital
name: Adamstown geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Country name
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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 George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008) cabinet: NA 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 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
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 coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation
SPC, UPU
Judicial branch
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor
Legal system
local island by-laws
Legislative branch
unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members 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 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
National holiday
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Political parties and leaders
none
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Economy
Agriculture - products
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish
Budget
revenues: $746,000 expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)
Currency (code)
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code
NZD
Economic aid - recipient
$3.465 million (2004)
Economy - 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. 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.
Electricity - production
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Exports
$NA
Exports - commodities
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$NA
Imports
$NA
Imports - commodities
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Industries
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Labor force
15 able-bodied men (2004)
Labor force - by occupation
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Communications
Internet country code
.pn
Internet hosts
12 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 Ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
general assessment: satellite phone services domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB) international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)
Telephones - main lines in use
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Ports and terminals
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008