(dependent territory of the UK)
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Peru to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 47 sq km
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 51 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone : 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical, hot, 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
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
Land use:
arable land : NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)
Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because
of burning and clearing for settlement)
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Population: 47 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:-1.32% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages: English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Country name:
conventional long form : Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Data code: PC
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Adamstown
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)
Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system: local island by-laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
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 Martin WILLIAMS (since NA May 1998); Commissioner (nonresident) Leon SALT (since NA); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
head of government: IMayor and Chairman of the Island Council Steve CHRISTIAN (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections : the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held NA December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2002)
election results:elected mayor; percent of vote - NA%
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 6 elected by popular vote, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms)
elections: tlast held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch: Island Court (island magistrate presides over the court and is elected every three years)
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent 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 coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Economy - overview: The inhabitants of this tiny 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 12 able-bodied men (1997)
by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $729,884
expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994/95 est.)
Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables
Exports: $NA
commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios
partners: NA
Imports: $NA
commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
partners: NA
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $84,000
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Telephones: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)
Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island
domestic: party line service only
international: radiotelephone
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 6.4 km
paved : 0 km
unpaved: 6.4 km
Ports and harbors: Bounty Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: none
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Disputes - international: none
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