Pitcairn Islands

   

Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn_flag_large.png Pitcairn_coa.png
(In Detail) (In Detail)


National motto: ?
Official language English (they also speak Pitcairnese)
Capital Adamstown
GovernorRichard Fell
MayorBrenda Christian (pending election on December 15)
Area
 - Total
 - % water
47 km²
Negligible
Population
 - Total (2003)
 - Density
48
1/km²
Dependent area ofUnited Kingdom
Currency New Zealand dollar
Time zone UTC -8
National anthem None
Internet TLD.PN

The Pitcairn Islands are a group of five islands, of which only Pitcairn Island is inhabited, in the southern Pacific Ocean, the only remaining British colony in the Pacific. The islands are known mostly because the original settlers were mutineers of HMAV Bounty, as well as Tahitians those mutineers took along, as described in the book Mutiny on the Bounty, later depicted in a number of movies. Also, it is the least populated country (though it is not sovereign) of the world with about 50 inhabitants (9 families).


History and current events

Main article: History of the Pitcairn Islands

Although archaeologists assume that Polynesians lived on Pitcairn as late as the 15th century, the island was uninhabited when it was discovered by Spanish explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros. It was rediscovered by the British in 1767, and named after the crew member that first spotted the island.

In 1790, the mutineers of Bounty and their Tahitian companions settled on the island and set fire to the Bounty. Several of the mutineers and Tahitians subsequently killed other mutineers and Tahitians. The island became a British colony in 1838. By the mid 1850s the Pitcairn community was outgrowing the island and they appealed to Queen Victoria for help. Queen Victoria offered them Norfolk Island and on 3 May, 1856, the entire community of 193 people set sail for Norfolk Island on board the Morayshire. They arrived on 8 June after a miserable 5 week trip. However, after 18 months, 17 returned to Pitcairn and 5 years later another 27 returned.

Since a population peak of 233 in 1937, the island is suffering from emigration, primarily to New Zealand, leaving a current population of approximately 50.

The wreck of Bounty is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay.

There are allegations of a long history and tradition of sexual abuse of girls as young as 10 and 11, which culminated in 2004 in the charging of seven men living on Pitcairn, and another six now living abroad, with sex-related offences including rape. On October 25 2004, six men were convicted including Steve Christian, the island's mayor. See Pitcairn rape trial of 2004

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Pitcairn Islands

The Governor of the Pitcairn Islands is the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, currently Richard Fell, who is therefore not resident on the island. The island's daily affairs were traditionally taken care of by the Magistrate, the chairman of the Island Council. Elections for this position took place every three years. Following a constitutional revision in 1998, the previous executive functions of the magistrate were transferred to the Mayor of Pitcairn from 1999 onwards. Up to 30 October 2004, the Mayor was Steve Christian; in the wake of his rape conviction on October 24 2004, he was dismissed after refusing to resign. His sister, Brenda Christian, was appointed interim Mayor on November 7, pending elections scheduled for December 15 2004.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Pitcairn Islands

The Pitcairn Islands consist of five islands: Pitcairn Island, Sandy Island, Oeno Island, Henderson Island, and Ducie Island. Pitcairn and Henderson are volcanic islands, and Ducie and Oeno are coral atolls.

The only inhabited island, Pitcairn, has an area of 5 km² and a population density of 10/km²; it is only accessible by boat through Bounty Bay.

The other islands are at a distance of more than 100 km.

Map of Pitcairn Islands. Source:CIA World Factbook
Map of Pitcairn Islands. Source:CIA World Factbook

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Pitcairn Islands

The fertile soil of the Pitcairn valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. The inhabitants of this tiny economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, and handicrafts, with barter an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors, honey, and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships, most of which are plying the United Kingdom to New Zealand route via the Panama Canal. Trade is restricted by the jagged design of the island, which lacks a harbour or airstrip, forcing all trade to be made by longboat to anchored ships.

Labor force: 12 able-bodied men and an unknown number of able bodied women (1997).

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Pitcairn Islands

Most of the resident Pitcairn Islanders are still descendants of the Bounty mutineers, as their surnames show. All Pitcairners are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. An 18th century dialect of the English language is spoken along with the Tahitian language, the two together forming a creole language known as Pitcairnese.

In September 2003 a child was born, the first on the Pitcairn Islands in 17 years.

Culture

Pitcairn culture, like its language, is a mix of English and Taihitian cultures. Later on, a successful Adventist mission was important in shaping the Pitcairn society [1] (http://news.adventist.org/data/2001/04/0991166375/index.html.en). In recent years the church has declined, with about 8 islanders worshipping regularly.

Showing affection in public, dancing, and alcoholic beverages are forbidden. As recently as 2003, however, the prohibition on alcohol seemed to be slackening, with several families accepting use.

Communications

  • Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)
  • Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island
  • International: radiotelephone
  • Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
  • Radios: Walkie-Talkie styled radios frequently used to maintain contact among people in different areas of the island.
  • Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
  • Televisions: 0.
  • Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 Government-sponsored satellite internet connection, split to many houses on the island.

Country code (Top level domain): PN

Transportation

The settlers of the Pitcairns all arrived by some form of boat or ship; the most famous was the HMS Bounty, on which the mutiny occurred and which was burned down in Bounty Bay.

These remote islands do not have an airport or seaport; the country relies on longboats to ferry people and goods between ship and shore through Bounty Bay on the only inhabited island, Pitcairn. To get to Pitcairn it is necessary to fly to Tahiti, then Mangareva, then embark on a further 30-hour boat ride. There is one boat every several months.

There are no paved roads and no railways. There is 6.4 km of unpaved road. On land, walking has historically been the way of getting around; all-terrain vehicles have become common in more recent years.

ccTLD

Their Domain Registry is based at www.nic.pn (http://www.nic.pn/PnRegistry/PnRegistry.htm)

External links


Countries in Oceania
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Other political units: American Samoa | Cook Islands | Easter Island | French Polynesia | Guam | Hawaii | Maluku Islands | Midway Atoll | New Caledonia | Niue | Norfolk Island | Northern Mariana Islands | Papua (Indonesia) | Pitcairn Islands | Tokelau | Wake Island | Wallis and Futuna | West Timor


Overseas territories of the United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom
Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Anguilla | Bermuda | British Antarctic Territory | British Indian Ocean Territory | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Falkland Islands | Gibraltar | Montserrat | Pitcairn Islands | Saint Helena (Ascension & Tristan da Cunha) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Turks and Caicos Islands

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