Pitcairn Islands

Pitcairn Islands Pitkern Ailen  (Pitcairn-Norfolk)
British Overseas Territory
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "God Save the King"
Local anthem: "Come Ye Blessed"
Map showing location of the Pitcairn Islands (circled at the lower-right and magnified in an inset)
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Settlement	15 January 1790
British colony	30 November 1838
Capital and largest settlement	Adamstown 25°04′S 130°06′W
Official languages	Pitkern English
Ethnic groups	Pitcairn Islanders
Demonym(s)	Pitcairn Islanders Pitkern Pitcairnese
Government	Devolved locally governing dependency
• Monarch	Charles III
• Governor	Iona Thomas
• Administrator	Steve Townsend
• Mayor	Simon Young
Legislature	Island Council
Government of the United Kingdom
• Minister	David Rutley
Area
• Total	47 km2 (18 sq mi) (not ranked)
Highest elevation	330 m (1,080 ft)
Population
• 2021 estimate	47 (last)
• Density	1/km2 (2.6/sq mi) (not ranked)
GDP (nominal)	2005 estimate
• Total	NZ$217,000
• Per capita	NZ$4,617.02
Currency	New Zealand dollar (NZ$) (NZD)
Time zone	UTC-08:00
Driving side	left
Calling code	+64
UK postcode	PCRN 1ZZ
ISO 3166 code	PN
Internet TLD	.pn
Website	www.government.pn

A map of the islands.

The mutineers turning Bligh and part of the officers and crew adrift from the Bounty, 29 April 1789

The Pitcairn Islands are a group of islands in the southern Pacific. People only live on the second-largest of the four islands. That island is named Pitcairn. It is governed by the United Kingdom. It has the smallest number of people of any country. In 2019, 50 people lived there.

The islands are best known as home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and the Tahitians (or Polynesians) who accompanied them, an event retold in numerous books and films. This history still shows in the surnames of many of the islanders. There are only four family names (as of 2010): Christian, Warren, Young and Brown.

History

Originally people from Polynesia lived on the Pitcairn Islands, but there was no one living on the islands when they were discovered (found) by Captain Philip Carteret of H.M.S. Swallow on 2 July 1767. The island was named after Robert Pitcairn, a 15 year old midshipman who was the first person on the Swallow to see it. Robert is believed to have been lost at sea in early 1770 when the ship he was on, HMS Aurora, went missing in the Indian Ocean.

Recent sex crimes

In 2004 charges were laid against seven men living on Pitcairn and six living abroad with sex-related offences dating back a number of years. On 25 October 2004, six men were convicted, including the island's mayor at the time. After the six men lost their final appeal, the British government set up a prison on the island at Bob's Valley. The men began serving their sentences in late 2006, as of 2010 all men have served their sentences or been granted home detention status (Pitcairn News, 2010).

In 2010 the island received a new and updated constitution.

Currency

While the Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory, the islands use the New Zealand dollar, not pound sterling. The US dollar is also used.

The Islands

• 
  Durcie atoll
• 
  Oeno atoll
• 
  Satellite image of Pitcairn island
• 
  Henderson Island
• 
  Adamstown on Pitcairn Island.

Related pages

• Mutiny on the Bounty