Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Polynesians were the first settlers on the four tiny islands that are now called the Pitcairn Islands, but all four were uninhabited by the time Europeans discovered them in 1606. Pitcairn Island -- the only one now inhabited -- was rediscovered by a British explorer in 1767. In 1789, Fletcher CHRISTIAN led a mutiny on the HMS Bounty, and after several months of searching for Pitcairn Island, he landed on it with eight other mutineers and their Tahitian companions. They lived in isolation and evaded detection by English authorities until 1808, when only one man, 10 women, and 23 children remained. In 1831, with the population of 87 proving too big for the island, the British attempted to move all the islanders to Tahiti, but they were soon returned to Pitcairn Island. The island became an official British colony in 1838, and in 1856, the British again determined that the population of 193 was too high and relocated all the residents to Norfolk Island. Several families returned in 1858 and 1864, bringing the island’s population to 43, and almost all of the island’s current population are descendants of these returnees.
The UK annexed the nearby uninhabited islands of Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie in 1902 and incorporated them into the Pitcairn Islands colony in 1938. The population peaked at 233 in 1937 as outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has since thinned the population. Only two children were born between 1986 and 2012, and in 2005, a couple became the first outsiders to obtain citizenship in more than a century. Since 2013, the Pitcairn Islands has tried to attract new migrants but has had no applicants because it requires prospective migrants to front significant sums of money and prohibits employment during a two-year trial period, at which point the local council can deny long-term resident status.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 47 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 47 sq km
- Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
- Terrain
- rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Land Use
- Other
- 25.5% (2022 est.)
- Forest
- 74.5% (2022 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2022 est.)
- Location
- Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
- Coastline
- 51 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m
- Irrigated land
- 0 sq km (2022)
- Map references
- Oceania
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- occasional tropical cyclones (especially November to March), but generally only heavy tropical storms; landslides
- 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 longboat from larger ships stationed offshore
- Natural resources
- miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
- Area comparative
- about three-tenths the size of Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 25 04 S, 130 06 W
- Population distribution
- a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
People & Society
- Languages
- English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
- Religions
- Seventh Day Adventist 100%
Population
- Total
- 50 (2025 est.)
Nationality
- Noun
- Pitcairn Islander(s)
- Adjective
- Pitcairn Islander
- Ethnic groups
- descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
- Population growth rate
- 0% (2014 est.)
- Population distribution
- a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
Government
- Flag
- description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the green field features a yellow anchor with a Bible over it (both were on the HMS Bounty); a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow is on the crest, with a flowering twig of miro (a local plant)
meaning: the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean
Capital
- Name
- Adamstown
- Etymology
- named after John ADAMS (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in 1790
- Time difference
- UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 25 04 S, 130 05 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal with three years of residency
- Citizenship
- see United Kingdom
Constitution
- History
- several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010
Country Name
- Etymology
- named after English midshipman Robert PITCAIRN, who first sighted the island in 1767
- Conventional long form
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
- Conventional short form
- Pitcairn Islands
- Independence
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- Legal system
- local island by-laws
- Government type
- parliamentary democracy
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
- Highest court(s)
- Pitcairn Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, 2 judges, and the Supreme Court chief justice, an ex-officio member); Pitcairn Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 judges)
- Subordinate courts
- Magistrate's Court
- Judge selection and term of office
- all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the British monarch through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- none
- Chief of state
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Iona THOMAS (since 9 August 2022)
- Election results
- Shawn CHRISTIAN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
- Head of government
- Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 5 November 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 5 November 2025
- Election/appointment process
- the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term
- Expected date of next election
- November 2028
- National holiday
- Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)
- Dependency status
- overseas territory of the UK
- Political parties
- none
Legislative Branch
- Note
- note: the Council includes 5 councilors, the mayor, and the deputy mayor (who are elected by popular vote) and 3 ex officio non-voting members -- the administrator, who serves as both the head of government and the representative of the governor of Pitcairn Islands, the governor, and the deputy governor
- Term in office
- 2 years note: the councilors and the deputy mayor serve 2-year terms, the mayor serves a 3-year term, and the administrator is appointed by the governor for an indefinite term
- Number of seats
- 10 (directly elected and appointed)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Legislature name
- Island Council
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 6 November 2019
- Expected date of next election
- N/A
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 60%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- independent (5)
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "God Save the King"
- History
- official anthem, as a UK overseas territory
- Lyrics/music
- unknown
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- International organisations
- SPC, UPU
Economy
- Industries
- postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 1.542 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 1.414 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 1.577 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 1.628 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 1.652 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- small South Pacific British island territorial economy; exports primarily postage stamps, handicraft goods, honey, and tinctures; extremely limited infrastructure; dependent upon UK and EU aid; recent border reopening post-COVID-19
- Exports partners
- UK 21%, Canada 19%, Tanzania 12%, Colombia 11%, Spain 8% (2023)
- Imports partners
- USA 59%, NZ 37%, Italy 2%, UAE 1%, Brazil 1% (2023)
- Agricultural products
- honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish
- Exports commodities
- fertilizers, sulfur, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, ethylene polymers (2022)
- Imports commodities
- construction vehicles, refined petroleum, beef, computers, other foods (2023)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 96.2% (2021 est.)
- Broadcast media
- satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels
- Internet country code
- .pn
- Telephones mobile cellular
- No traditional public cellular network. Satellite-based internet (Starlink) and VoIP apps (WhatsApp, Viber) are available.
Environment
- Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Land Use
- Other
- 25.5% (2022 est.)
- Forest
- 74.5% (2022 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Military & Security
- Military note
- defense is the responsibility of the UK
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Pitcairn Islands — vintage 2026-Q1: Pitcairn Islands factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/pitcairn-islands
Sources: CIA World Factbook