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.

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

25 04 S, 130 06 W

Oceania

about three-tenths the size of Washington, DC

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

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish, note, manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

less than 50 inhabitants on Pitcairn Island, most reside near the village of Adamstown

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

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

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

noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)

adjective: Pitcairn Islander

other descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

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

Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

less than 50 inhabitants on Pitcairn Island, most reside near the village of Adamstown

conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

etymology: named after Midshipman Robert PITCAIRN who first sighted the island in 1767

overseas territory of the UK

parliamentary democracy

name: Adamstown

geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W

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

none (overseas territory of the UK)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)

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

local island by-laws

18 years of age; universal with three years residency

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 Laura CLARK (since 25 January 2018)

head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 9 November 2016)

cabinet: none

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term; election last held on 9 November 2016 (next to be held not later than December 2019)

election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN reelected mayor and chairman of the Island Council; Island Council vote - NA

description: unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 4 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 1 nominated by the elected Council members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 3 ex-officio members - the governor, deputy governor, and commissioner; elected members serve 1-year terms)

elections: last held in November 2017 (next to be held not later than December 2019)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 5 independent; composition - men 5, women 5, percent of women 50%

highest courts: 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); note - appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office: all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the Queen of England through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75

subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court

none

SPC, UPU

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 flowering twig of miro (a local plant)

name: We From Pitcairn Island

lyrics/music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN

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.

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

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

1 April - 31 March

honey, fruits, vegetables, curios, postage stamps

fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

general assessment: satellite-based phone services; rural connectivity a challenge (2018)

domestic: local phone service with international connections via Internet (2018)

international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)

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

.pn

satellite-based local phone service and broadband Internet connections available in all homes

defense is the responsibility of the UK

major seaport(s): Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

none