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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and 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
comparison ranking: total 232
Area – comparative
about three-tenths the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
51 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Elevation
highest point: Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 74.5% (2022 est.)
other: 25.5% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution
a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
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
People and Society
Population
total: 50 (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 237
Nationality
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
Languages
English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Religions
Seventh Day Adventist 100%
Population growth rate
0% (2014 est.)
comparison ranking: 195
Population distribution
a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
Environment
Environment – current issues
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Climate
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 74.5% (2022 est.)
other: 25.5% (2022 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
etymology: named after English midshipman Robert PITCAIRN, who first sighted the island in 1767
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Capital
name: Adamstown
geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W
time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after John ADAMS (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in 1790
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Legal system
local island by-laws
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch
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)
head of government: Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Simon YOUNG (since 1 January 2023)
cabinet: none
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
most recent election date: 9 November 2022
election results: Simon YOUNG elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council; Island Council vote – NA
expected date of next election: December 2025
Legislative branch
legislature name: Island Council
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 10 (directly elected and appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
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
most recent election date: 6 November 2019
parties elected and seats per party: independent (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 60%
expected date of next election: N/A
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
Judicial branch
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)
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
subordinate courts: Magistrate’s Court
note: appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Political parties
none
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation
SPC, UPU
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Birthday of King CHARLES III, second Saturday in June (1948); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)
Flag description
blue with the UK flag in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean; the green field features a yellow anchor with a Bible over it (both were found on the HMS Bounty); a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow is on the crest, with a flowering twig of miro (a local plant)
National anthem
name: “We From Pitcairn Island”
lyrics/music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN
note: serves as a local anthem; as an overseas territory of the UK, “God Save the King” is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
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
Agricultural products
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish
Industries
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Exports – partners
UK 21%, Canada 19%, Tanzania 12%, Colombia 11%, Spain 8% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
fertilizers, sulfur, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, ethylene polymers (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports – partners
USA 59%, NZ 37%, Italy 2%, UAE 1%, Brazil 1% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
construction vehicles, refined petroleum, beef, computers, other foods (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
1.628 (2023 est.)
1.577 (2022 est.)
1.414 (2021 est.)
1.542 (2020 est.)
1.518 (2019 est.)
Communications
Broadcast media
satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels
Internet country code
.pn
Internet users
percent of population: 96.2% (2021 est.)
Military and Security
Military – note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
