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.

Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S 130 06 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 47 km²
Land: 47 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 234
Comparative: about three-tenths the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 51 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Big Ridge 347 m

Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts) fish
Note: manganese iron copper gold silver and zinc have been discovered offshore

Land use
Agricultural land: 0%
Forest: 74.5%
Other: 25.5%

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)

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

Population: 48 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 238
Growth rate: 0% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 198

Nationality
Noun: Pitcairn Islander
Adjective: Pitcairn Islander

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)

Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Population growth rate: 0% (2014 est.)
Rank: 198

Urbanization
Urban population: 0% of total population
Rate of urbanization: NA

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

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: Pitcairn Henderson Ducie and Oeno Islands
Conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Adamstown
Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S 130 05 W
Time difference: UTC-9

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II second Saturday in June (1926); Discovery Day 2 July (1767)

Constitution: several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010 presented 17 February 2010 effective 4 March 2010 (2015)

Legal system: local island by-laws

Citizenship: see United Kingdom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Jonathan SINCLAIR (since August 2014); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
Head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN
Cabinet: none
Electionsappointments: 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 12 November 2013
Election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council; Island Council vote count in third round - Shawn CHRISTIAN 20 Simon YOUNG 19

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Island Council
Elections: last held on 13 November 2013
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 5 independent

Judicial branch
Highest resident court: Pitcairn Court of Appeal ; Pitcairn Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 judges); note - appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London); the Court of Appeal was established in 2000 by an Order in Council
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 appointed until retirement normally at age 75
Subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: SPC UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)

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 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 slip of miro (a local plant)

National anthem
Name: 'We From Pitcairn Island'
Lyrics and music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN
Note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom 'God Save the Queen' is official

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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $N/A

Agriculture products: honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats chickens; fish

Industries: postage stamps handicrafts beekeeping honey

Labor force: 15 (2004)
Rank: 233
By occupation note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Budget
Revenues: $746,000
Expenditures: $1.028 million

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $N/A
Commodities: fruits vegetables curios postage stamps

Imports: $N/A
Commodities: fuel oil machinery building materials flour sugar other foodstuffs

Exchange rates:

Telephone system
General assessment: satellite-based phone services
Domestic: local phone service with international connections via Internet
International: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1

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

Internet
Country code: .pn

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Adamstown

Disputes international: none