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United Kingdom - Pitcairn Islands (Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands)

Status: UK overseas territory

Population: 48 (2007)

Time: GMT minus 8hr

Currency: New Zealand dollar

Geography

Pitcairn Island lies in the central South Pacific, approximately half-way between Panama and New Zealand. Henderson lies at 169km, Oeno at 121km and Ducie at 471km distance from Pitcairn.

Pitcairn is in the Western Hemisphere and on the American side of the International Date Line; so it and Cook Islands are almost one day behind their other Commonwealth Pacific neighbours.

Area: 35.5 sq km; Pitcairn: 4.35 sq km; Henderson: 30.0 sq km.

Topography: Pitcairn, the only inhabited island in this territory, is a volcanic crater rising to 300m. It has precipitous coastal cliffs, with only one, moderately accessible, landing-place, Bounty Bay, near the main settlement of Adamstown. The soil on the islands is fertile.

Climate: Pitcairn has a subtropical climate, with mean monthly temperatures ranging from 19–24°C and an average annual rainfall of 2,000mm.

Wildlife: In 1989 Henderson Island was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a bird sanctuary. Four species of birds are unique to the island: Henderson fruit dove, Henderson rail, Henderson warbler and Henderson lorikeet.

Transport/Communications: The islanders use quad bikes as their main form of transport. There are also tractors and a bulldozer on Pitcairn, and two aluminium longboats. A supply ship makes scheduled calls approximately twice a year. Container ships, yachts and other vessels call on an ad hoc basis if they are passing; in 2000 there were 54 visits; in 2001, 58 visits; and in 2002, 56 visits. There is a basic telephone system on Pitcairn. Overseas telephone and fax communications are maintained via satellite only.

Society

Population: 48 (2007). Overpopulation on Pitcairn has been a problem in the past, leading to evacuations in 1831 and 1856, but the Pitcairners have always returned. The population reached a peak of 233 in 1937, and declined for many years, reaching 55 in 1993 and 40 in January 1998. It had risen to 66 by 1999 but declined again in the early 2000s.

Religion: The islanders have been Seventh Day Adventists since 1887 and do not therefore celebrate Easter.

Language: The official languages are English and (since 1997) Pitkern, a mixture of English and Tahitian, with English predominating.

Media: There is a monthly news sheet, Pitcairn Miscellany (www.miscellany.pn), with worldwide circulation of about 1,400, and edited by the resident school teacher.

Education and health: Primary education is available on the island and secondary-level students participate in correspondence courses. There is one all-age school and education is compulsory from age five to 15 years. Scholarships are available for secondary and higher education in New Zealand.

Medical care is provided by a trained nurse. During 2001 training was provided for the assistant nurse at the hospital on Norfolk Island.

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Bounty Day (28 April), Queen’s Official Birthday (one of the first three Saturdays in June, in line with the UK), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Economy

Overview: The annual budget for Pitcairn is around NZ$1 million.

Despite prudent financial management, Pitcairn’s annual expenditure consistently exceeds revenue. The main government revenue derives from the sale of postage stamps and the sale of internet domain addresses. The islanders fish, and produce vegetables and fruit (including sweet potatoes, sugar cane, taro, oranges, bananas and coffee), for their own consumption and also for sale to passing ships. In the latter 1990s they developed beekeeping and honey production. There is also a mail-order trade in carving and basketware, dried fruit (mainly bananas) is exported, and island produce and curios are sold to passing cruiseships. Miro trees, planted on Pitcairn, and which grow on the Henderson atoll, provide wood for handicrafts.

A range of minerals has been discovered within the exclusive economic zone, which extends 370km offshore and comprises 880,000 sq km, including manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver and zinc.

History

Although there are archaeological remains indicating habitation by Polynesian people 600 years ago, Pitcairn’s modern population arises from its occupation in 1790 by Fletcher Christian and eight of the mutineers from HMS Bounty, 12 Tahitian women and six men. It became a British settlement in 1887, being placed under the jurisdiction of the British high commissioner for the Western Pacific in 1898, and the Governor of Fiji in 1952. The UK high commissioner in New Zealand has been the governor since 1970.

Administration

The island council has ten members – four councillors and the chairman of the internal committee are elected annually between 1 and 15 December, one is nominated by the council and two, including the island secretary, are appointed by the governor. It is presided over by the island mayor (elected every three years in December). A commissioner manages the day-to-day operations of the island and liaises with the Governor’s Office in Wellington (New Zealand), the island council and the governor’s representative on Pitcairn. A judicial system comprising a magistrate’s court, supreme court and appeal court has been established. There is no taxation, nor any banking facilities.