2020 Edition

Background

Polynesians were the first settlers on the four tiny islands that are now called the Pitcairn Islands, but all four were uninhabited by the time Europeans discovered them in 1606. Pitcairn Island -- the only one now inhabited -- was rediscovered by a British explorer in 1767. In 1789, Fletcher CHRISTIAN led a mutiny on the HMS Bounty, and after several months of searching for Pitcairn Island, he landed on it with eight other mutineers and their Tahitian companions. They lived in isolation and evaded detection by English authorities until 1808, when only one man, 10 women, and 23 children remained. In 1831, with the population of 87 proving too big for the island, the British attempted to move all the islanders to Tahiti, but they were soon returned to Pitcairn Island. The island became an official British colony in 1838, and in 1856, the British again determined that the population of 193 was too high and relocated all the residents to Norfolk Island. Several families returned in 1858 and 1864, bringing the island’s population to 43, and almost all of the island’s current population are descendants of these returnees.  The UK annexed the nearby uninhabited islands of Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie in 1902 and incorporated them into the Pitcairn Islands colony in 1938. The population peaked at 233 in 1937 as outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has since thinned the population. Only two children were born between 1986 and 2012, and in 2005, a couple became the first outsiders to obtain citizenship in more than a century. Since 2013, the Pitcairn Islands has tried to attract new migrants but has had no applicants because it requires prospective migrants to front significant sums of money and prohibits employment during a two-year trial period, at which point the local council can deny long-term resident status.

Area

land

47 sq km

total

47 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about three-tenths the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Coastline

51 km

Elevation

highest point

Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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 longboat from larger ships stationed offshore

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

forest

74.5% (2022 est.)

other

25.5% (2022 est.)

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional tropical cyclones (especially November to March), but generally only heavy tropical storms; landslides

Natural resources

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

Population distribution

a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown

Terrain

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Ethnic groups

descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Languages

English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Nationality

adjective

Pitcairn Islander

noun

Pitcairn Islander(s)

Population

total

50 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0% (2014 est.)

Religions

Seventh Day Adventist 100%

Capital

etymology

named after John ADAMS (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in 1790

geographic coordinates

25 04 S, 130 05 W

name

Adamstown

time difference

UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

history

several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010

Country name

conventional long form

Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form

Pitcairn Islands

etymology

named after English midshipman Robert PITCAIRN, who first sighted the island in 1767

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

cabinet

none

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Iona THOMAS (since 9 August 2022)

election results

Shawn CHRISTIAN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council

election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term

expected date of next election

November 2028

head of government

Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 5 November 2025)

most recent election date

5 November 2025

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the green field features a yellow anchor with a Bible over it (both were on the HMS Bounty); a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow is on the crest, with a flowering twig of miro (a local plant) meaning: the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

SPC, UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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)

judge selection and term of office

all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the British monarch through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75

subordinate courts

Magistrate's Court

Legal system

local island by-laws

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

N/A

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Island Council

most recent election date

6 November 2019

number of seats

10 (directly elected and appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

independent (5)

percentage of women in chamber

60%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

2 years note: the councilors and the deputy mayor serve 2-year terms, the mayor serves a 3-year term, and the administrator is appointed by the governor for an indefinite term

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National holiday

Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)

Political parties

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal with three years of residency

Agricultural products

honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish

Economic overview

small South Pacific British island territorial economy; exports primarily postage stamps, handicraft goods, honey, and tinctures; extremely limited infrastructure; dependent upon UK and EU aid; recent border reopening post-COVID-19

Exchange rates

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.652 (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, sulfur, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, ethylene polymers (2022)

Exports - partners

UK 21%, Canada 19%, Tanzania 12%, Colombia 11%, Spain 8% (2023)

Imports - commodities

construction vehicles, refined petroleum, beef, computers, other foods (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 59%, NZ 37%, Italy 2%, UAE 1%, Brazil 1% (2023)

Industries

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Broadcast media

satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels

Internet country code

.pn

Internet users

percent of population

96.2% (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

No traditional public cellular network. Satellite-based internet (Starlink) and VoIP apps (WhatsApp, Viber) are available.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Environmental issues

deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)