ARCHIVE // PN // 2009

Pitcairn Islands

2009 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.pn
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 213
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: satellite phone services domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB) international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004) country comparison to the world: 230
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish
Budget [time series]
revenues: $746,000 expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator
Exchange rates [time series]
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)
Exports [time series]
$NA
Exports - commodities [time series]
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$NA
Imports [time series]
$NA
Imports - commodities [time series]
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Industries [time series]
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Labor force [time series]
15 able-bodied men (2004) country comparison to the world: 221
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 47 sq km country comparison to the world: 233 land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Coastline [time series]
51 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
25 04 S, 130 06 W
Geography - note [time series]
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 [time series]
NA
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA
Location [time series]
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
typhoons (especially November to March)
Natural resources [time series]
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Terrain [time series]
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Capital [time series]
name: Adamstown geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Dependency status [time series]
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Executive branch [time series]
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 2007 (next to be held in December 2010) election results: Mike WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation [time series]
SPC, UPU
Judicial branch [time series]
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judicial officers are appointed by the governor
Legal system [time series]
local island by-laws
Legislative branch [time series]
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 2008 (next to be held in 24 December 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
National holiday [time series]
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
none
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
none
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
NA
Death rate [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Literacy [time series]
NA
Nationality [time series]
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
NA (2009 est.)
Population [time series]
48 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 237
Population growth rate [time series]
0% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Religions [time series]
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Sex ratio [time series]
NA (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
NA (2008 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 0% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)