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The Pitcairn Islands (;
Pitkern Pitkern, also known as Pitcairn-Norfolk or Pitcairnese, is a language spoken on Pitcairn and Norfolk islands. It is a mixture of English and Tahitian, and has been given many classifications by scholars, including cant, patois, and Atlantic Cre ...
: '), officially the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, is a group of four volcanic islands in the southern
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four islands—
Pitcairn The Pitcairn Islands (; Pitkern: '), officially the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, is a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four is ...
,
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * H ...
, Ducie and Oeno—are scattered across several hundred miles of ocean and have a combined land area of about . Henderson Island accounts for 86% of the land area, but only Pitcairn Island is inhabited. The islands nearest to the Pitcairn Islands are
Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
(of French Polynesia) at 688 km to the west and
Easter Island Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its ne ...
at 1,929 km to the east. The
Pitcairn Islanders Pitcairn Islanders, also referred to as Pitkerners and Pitcairnese, are the inhabitants or citizens of the Pitcairn Islands. The Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory, mainly inhabited by Euronesians of British and Tahitian desc ...
are a biracial ethnic group descended mostly from nine ''Bounty'' mutineers and a handful of Tahitian consorts—as is still apparent from the surnames of many of the islanders. The mutiny and its aftermath have been the subject of many books and films. As of January 2020, the territory had only 47 permanent inhabitants.


History


Polynesian settlement and extinction

The earliest known settlers of the Pitcairn Islands were Polynesians who appear to have lived on Pitcairn and Henderson, and on Mangareva Island to the northwest, for several centuries from at least the 11th century. They traded goods and formed social ties among the three islands despite the long canoe voyages between them, which helped the small populations on each island survive despite their limited resources. Eventually, important natural resources were exhausted, inter-island trade broke down and a period of civil war began on Mangareva, causing the small human populations on Henderson and Pitcairn to be cut off and eventually to become extinct. Although archaeologists believe that Polynesians were living on Pitcairn as late as the 15th century, the islands were uninhabited when they were rediscovered by Europeans.


European arrival

Portuguese sailor
Pedro Fernandes de Queirós Pedro Fernandes de Queirós ( es, Pedro Fernández de Quirós) (1563–1614) was a Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain. He is best known for his involvement with Spanish voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean, in particular the 1595–1 ...
came upon Ducie and Henderson Islands while sailing for the Spanish Crown, arriving on 26 January 1606. He named them La Encarnación (" The Incarnation") and San Juan Bautista ("Saint
John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
"), respectively. However, some sources express doubt about exactly which of the islands were visited and named by Queirós, suggesting that La Encarnación may actually have been Henderson Island, and San Juan Bautista may have been Pitcairn Island. Pitcairn Island was sighted on 3 July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS ''Swallow'', commanded by Captain
Philip Carteret Rear-Admiral Philip Carteret, Seigneur of Trinity (22 January 1733, Trinity Manor, Jersey – 21 July 1796, Southampton) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in two of the Royal Navy's circumnavigation expeditions in 176 ...
. The island was named after midshipman Robert Pitcairn, a 15-year-old crew member who was the first to sight the island. Robert Pitcairn was a son of British Marine Major
John Pitcairn Major John Pitcairn (28 December 1722 – 17 June 1775) was a Marine Service officer who was stationed in Boston, Massachusetts, at the start of the American War of Independence. Born in Scotland in 1722, Pitcairn joined the Naval Service at ...
, who later was killed at the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill in the American War of Independence. Carteret, who sailed without the newly invented
marine chronometer A marine chronometer is a precision timepiece that is carried on a ship and employed in the determination of the ship's position by celestial navigation. It is used to determine longitude by comparing Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or in the modern ...
, charted the island at , and although the
latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
was reasonably accurate, his recorded longitude was incorrect by about 3°, putting his coordinates to the west of the actual island. This made Pitcairn difficult to find, as highlighted by the failure of captain James Cook to locate the island in July 1773.


European settlement

In 1790, nine of the mutineers from the ''Bounty'', along with the native Tahitian men and women who were with them (six men, 11 women, and a baby girl), settled on Pitcairn Island and set fire to the ''Bounty''. The inhabitants of the island were well aware of the ''Bounty''s location, which is still visible underwater in
Bounty Bay Bounty Bay is an embayment of the Pacific Ocean into Pitcairn Island. It is named after the ''Bounty'', a British naval vessel whose eighteenth-century mutiny was immortalized in the novel ''Mutiny on the Bounty'', and the numerous subsequent ...
, but the wreckage gained significant attention in 1957 when documented by '' National Geographic'' explorer Luis Marden. Although the settlers survived by farming and fishing, the initial period of settlement was marked by serious tensions among them.
Alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomi ...
, murder, disease and other ills took the lives of most mutineers and Tahitian men.
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of t ...
and
Ned Young The complement of , the Royal Navy ship on which a historic mutiny occurred in the south Pacific on 28 April 1789, comprised 46 men on its departure from England in December 1787 and 44 at the time of the mutiny, including her commander Lieute ...
turned to the
scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...
, using the ship's
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
as their guide for a new and peaceful society. Young eventually died of an
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...
tic infection. Ducie Island was rediscovered in 1791 by Royal Navy captain Edwards aboard , while searching for the ''Bounty'' mutineers. He named it after Francis Reynolds-Moreton, 3rd Baron Ducie, also a captain in the Royal Navy. The Pitcairn islanders reported it was not until 27 December 1795 that the first ship since the ''Bounty'' was seen from the island, but it did not approach the land and they could not make out the nationality. A second ship appeared in 1801, but made no attempt to communicate with them. A third came sufficiently near to see their house, but did not try to send a boat on shore. Finally, the American sealing ship ''Topaz'', under Mayhew Folger, became the first to visit the island, when the crew spent ten hours on Pitcairn in February 1808. Whalers subsequently became regular visitors to the island. The last recorded whaler to visit was the ''James Arnold'' in 1888. A report of Folger's discovery was forwarded to the
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...
, mentioning the mutineers and giving a more precise location of the island: . However, this was not known to Sir Thomas Staines, who commanded a Royal Navy
flotilla A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small ''flota'' ( fleet) of ships), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. Composition A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same clas ...
of two ships, HMS ''Briton'' and HMS ''Tagus'', which found the island at (by meridian observation) on 17 September 1814. Staines sent a party ashore and wrote a detailed report for the Admiralty. By that time, only one mutineer, John Adams, remained alive. He was granted amnesty for his part in the mutiny. Henderson Island was rediscovered on 17 January 1819 by British Captain James Henderson of the British
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
ship ''Hercules''. Captain Henry King, sailing on ''Elizabeth'', landed on 2 March to find the king's
colours Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...
already flying. His crew scratched the name of their ship into a tree. Oeno Island was discovered on 26 January 1824 by American captain George Worth aboard the whaler . In 1832, having tried and failed to petition the British government and the
London Missionary Society The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed in outlook, with Congregational m ...
, Joshua Hill, an American adventurer, arrived. He reported that by March 1833, he had founded a Temperance Society to combat drunkenness, a " Maundy Thursday Society", a monthly prayer meeting, a juvenile society, a Peace Society and a school.


British colony

Traditionally, Pitcairn Islanders consider that their islands officially became a British colony on 30 November 1838, at the same time becoming one of the first territories to extend voting rights to women. By the mid-1850s, the Pitcairn community was outgrowing the island; its leaders appealed to the British government for assistance, and were offered Norfolk Island. On 3 May 1856, the entire population of 193 people set sail for Norfolk on board the ''Morayshire'', arriving on 8 June after a difficult five-week trip. However, just 18 months later, 17 of the Pitcairn Islanders returned to their home island, and another 27 followed five years later. visited Pitcairn Island on 18 April 1881 and "found the people very happy and contented, and in perfect health". At that time the population was 96, an increase of six since the visit of Admiral de Horsey in September 1878. Stores had recently been delivered from friends in England, including two whale-boats and
Portland cement Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world as a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. It was developed from other types of hydraulic lime in England in the early 19th ...
, which was used to make the reservoir watertight. HMS ''Thetis'' gave the islanders of biscuits, of candles, and 100 lb of soap and clothing to the value of £31, donated by the ship's company. An American trading ship called ''Venus'' had recently bestowed a supply of cotton seed, to provide the islanders with a crop for future trade. In 1886, the
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
layman
John Tay John I. Tay (1832 – 8 January 1892) was a Seventh-day Adventist missionary who was known for his pioneering work in the South Pacific. It was through his efforts that most of the inhabitants of Pitcairn Island were converted to Adventism, and t ...
visited Pitcairn and persuaded most of the islanders to accept his faith. He returned in 1890 on the missionary schooner with an ordained minister to perform
baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
s. Since then, the majority of Pitcairn Islanders have been Adventists. The islands of Henderson, Oeno and Ducie were annexed by Britain in 1902: Henderson on 1 July, Oeno on 10 July, and Ducie on 19 December. In 1938, the three islands, along with Pitcairn, were incorporated into a single administrative unit called the "Pitcairn Group of Islands". The population peaked at 233 in 1937. It has since decreased owing to emigration, primarily to Australia and New Zealand.


Sexual abuse in modern times

Three cases of imprisonment for sex with underage girls were reported in the 1950s. In 1999, Gail Cox, a police officer from
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, UK, served on a temporary assignment on Pitcairn, and began uncovering allegations of sexual abuse. When a 15-year-old girl decided to press
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...
charges in 1999, criminal proceedings (code-named "Operation Unique") were set in motion. The charges include 21 counts of
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...
, 41 of
indecent assault Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in some common law-based jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime and has significant overlap with offences referred to as sexual assault. England and Wales Indecent assault was a broa ...
, and two of gross indecency with a child under 14. Over the following two years, police officers in Australia, New Zealand and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
interviewed every woman who had lived on Pitcairn in the past 20 years, as well as all of the accused men. The file was held by Pitcairn's first Public Prosecutor Simon Moore, an Auckland Crown Solicitor appointed to the position by the British government for the purposes of the investigation. Australian
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
pastor Neville Tosen, who spent two years on Pitcairn around the turn of the millennium, said that on his arrival, he had been taken aback by the conduct of the children, but he had not immediately realised what was happening. "I noticed worrying signs such as inexplicable mood swings," he said. "It took me three months to realise they were being abused." Tosen tried to bring the matter before the Island Council (the legislative body which doubles as the island's court), but was rebuffed. One councillor told him, "Look, the age of consent has always been 12 and it doesn't hurt them." A study of island records confirmed anecdotal evidence that most girls bore their first child between the ages of 12 and 15. "I think the girls were conditioned to accept that it was a man's world and once they turned 12, they were eligible," Tosen said. Mothers and grandmothers were resigned to the situation, telling him that their own childhood experience had been the same; they regarded it as just a part of life on Pitcairn. One grandmother wondered what all the fuss was about. Tosen was convinced, however, that the early sexual experience was very damaging to the girls, outright stating, "They can't settle or form solid relationships. They did suffer, no doubt about it."


Sexual assault trials of 2004

In 2004, charges were laid against seven men living on Pitcairn and six living abroad. This accounted for nearly a third of the male population, and half of the island's adult males. After extensive trials, most of the men were convicted, some with multiple counts of sexual encounters with children. On 25 October 2004, six men were convicted, including
Steve Christian Steven Raymond Christian (born 26 June 1951, Pitcairn Island) is a politician, convicted sex offender and child rapist from the Pitcairn Islands. He was mayor of the islands from 1999 until 2004, when he was removed from office after being fo ...
, the island's mayor at the time. In 2004, the islanders had about 20 firearms among them, which they surrendered ahead of the sexual assault trials. 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. By 2010, all had served their sentences or been granted home detention status. In 2016, Mike Warren, Pitcairn mayor from 2008 to 2013, was convicted and sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for possession of child pornography.


Geography

The Pitcairn Islands form the southeasternmost extension of the geological
archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Arc ...
of the
Tuamotus The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extendin ...
of French Polynesia, and consist of four islands: Pitcairn Island,
Oeno Island Oeno Island ( ) or Holiday Island a coral atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, part of the Pitcairn Islands overseas territory. Geography Located northwest of Pitcairn Island, at . Oeno Atoll measures about in diameter, including the central ...
(atoll with five islets, one of which is Sandy Island), Henderson Island and
Ducie Island Ducie Island is an uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Islands. It lies east of Pitcairn Island, and east of Henderson Island, and has a total area of , which includes the lagoon. It is long, measured northeast to southwest, and about wide. ...
(atoll with four islets). The Pitcairn Islands were formed by a centre of upwelling
magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
called the
Pitcairn hotspot The Pitcairn hotspot is a volcanic hotspot located in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Over the past 11 million years, it has formed the Pitcairn-Gambier hotspot chain. It is responsible for creating the Pitcairn Islands and two large seamounts ...
. Pitcairn Island is a volcanic remnant primarily formed of
tuff Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock ...
, where the north side of the cone has been eroded. Pitcairn is the only permanently inhabited island. Adamstown, the main settlement on the island, lies within the volcanic basin. Pitcairn is accessible only by boat through Bounty Bay, due to the island's steep cliffs. Henderson Island, covering about 86% of the territory's total land area and supporting a rich variety of animals in its nearly inaccessible interior, is also capable of supporting a small human population despite its scarce fresh water, but access is difficult, owing to its outer shores being steep limestone cliffs covered by sharp coral. In 1988, this island was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The other islands are at a distance of more than and are not habitable. Pitcairn Island has no permanent water source; however, the island has three seasonal semi-permanent springs. Includes reef flat and lagoon of the atolls. File:Pitcairn Island NOAA.jpg, View from the east side of Pitcairn Island File:Pitcairnsatellite.png, Satellite photo of Pitcairn Island File:Pitcairn Island Group.svg, Map of the Pitcairn Islands File:Bounty bay.jpg, View of
Bounty Bay Bounty Bay is an embayment of the Pacific Ocean into Pitcairn Island. It is named after the ''Bounty'', a British naval vessel whose eighteenth-century mutiny was immortalized in the novel ''Mutiny on the Bounty'', and the numerous subsequent ...


Climate

Pitcairn is located just south of the Tropic of Capricorn and experiences year-round warm weather, with wet summers and drier winters. The rainy season (summer) is from November to March, when temperatures average and humidity can exceed 95%. Temperatures in the winter range from .


Flora

About nine plant species are thought to occur only on Pitcairn. These include tapau, formerly an important timber resource, and the giant nehe fern. Some, such as red berry ('' Coprosma rapensis'' var. ''Benefica''), are perilously close to extinction. The plant species '' Glochidion pitcairnense'' is endemic to Pitcairn and Henderson Islands. Pitcairn is part of the
Tuamotu tropical moist forests The Tuamotu tropical moist forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands. Geography The ecoregion includes the 76 atolls and islands of the Tuamotu ...
terrestrial ecoregion.


Fauna

Between 1937 and 1951,
Irving Johnson __NOTOC__ Irving McClure Johnson (July 4, 1905 – January 2, 1991) was an American sail training pioneer, adventurer, lecturer and writer. Johnson was born in Hadley, Massachusetts, the fifth child of the writer Clifton Johnson (author), C ...
, skipper of the brigantine ''Yankee Five'', introduced five Galápagos giant tortoises to Pitcairn. Turpen, also known as Mr Turpen, or Mr. T, is the sole survivor. Turpen usually lives at Tedside by Western Harbour. A protection order makes it an offence should anyone kill, injure, capture, maim, or cause harm or distress to the tortoise. The birds of Pitcairn fall into several groups. These include seabirds, wading birds and a small number of resident land-bird species. Of 20 breeding species, Henderson Island has 16, including the unique flightless
Henderson crake The Henderson crake or red-eyed crake (''Zapornia atra'') is a species of flightless bird in the family Rallidae. It is endemic to Henderson Island in the southeast Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth' ...
; Oeno hosts 12; Ducie 13 and Pitcairn six species. Birds breeding on Pitcairn include the
fairy tern The fairy tern (''Sternula nereis'') is a small tern which is native to the southwestern Pacific. It is listed as " Vulnerable" by the IUCN and the New Zealand subspecies is " Critically Endangered". There are three subspecies: * Australian fai ...
,
common noddy The brown noddy or common noddy (''Anous stolidus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related black noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black. The ...
and red-tailed tropicbird. The Pitcairn reed warbler, known by Pitcairners as a "sparrow", is endemic to Pitcairn Island; formerly common, it was added to the endangered species list in 2008. A small population of
humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hu ...
s (which has been poorly studied by scientists) migrate to the islands annually, to over-winter and breed.


Important bird areas

The four islands in the Pitcairn group have been identified by BirdLife International as separate Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Pitcairn Island is recognised because it is the only nesting site of the Pitcairn reed warbler. Henderson Island is important for its endemic land-birds as well as its breeding
seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...
s. Oeno's ornithological significance derives principally from its
Murphy's petrel Murphy's petrel (''Pterodroma ultima'') is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is 15 inches in length, with a 35-inch wingspan and weigh about 13 ounces. It was described by Robert Cushman Murphy in 1949, which is th ...
colony. Ducie is important for its colonies of Murphy's,
herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...
and
Kermadec petrel The Kermadec petrel (''Pterodroma neglecta'') is a species of gadfly petrel in the family Procellariidae. It is 38 cm long with a wingspan of 100 cm. It is polymorphic, with light, dark and intermediate morphs known. It eats squid, fis ...
s, and
Christmas shearwater The Christmas shearwater or ''aoū'' (''Puffinus nativitatis'') is a medium-sized shearwater of the tropical Central Pacific. It is a poorly known species due to its remote nesting habits, and it has not been extensively studied at sea either. ...
s.


Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve

In March 2015 the British government established one of the largest
marine protected area Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conse ...
s in the world around the Pitcairn Islands. The reserve covers the islands' entire exclusive economic zone—. The intention is to protect some of the world's most pristine ocean habitat from
illegal fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries. Illegal fishing takes ...
activities. A satellite "watchroom" dubbed Project Eyes on the Seas has been established by the Satellite Applications Catapult and
the Pew Charitable Trusts The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in 1948. With over 6 billion in assets, its stated mission is to serve the public interest by "improving public policy, informing the public, a ...
at the
Harwell Science and Innovation Campus The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is a 700-acre science and technology campus in Oxfordshire, England. Over 6,000 people work there in over 240 public and private sector organisations, working across sectors including Space, Clean Ener ...
in
Harwell, Oxfordshire Harwell is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse about west of Didcot, east of Wantage and south of Oxford. The parish measures about north – south, and almost east – west at its widest point. In 1923 its area was . Hi ...
to monitor vessel activity and to gather the information needed to prosecute unauthorised trawling.


Pitcairn Islands Dark Sky Sanctuary

In March 2019 the International Dark-Sky Association approved the Pitcairn Islands as a Dark Sky Sanctuary. The sanctuary encompasses all 4 islands in the Pitcairn Islands Group for a total land area of 43.25 km2 (16 sq. mi.).


Politics

The Pitcairn Islands are a British overseas territory with a degree of local government. The King of the United Kingdom is represented by a Governor, who also holds office as British High Commissioner to
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and is based in
Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
. The 2010 constitution gives authority for the islands to operate as a
representative democracy Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy, is a type of democracy where elected people represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy. Nearly all modern Western-style democracies function as some type of represe ...
, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for matters such as defence and foreign affairs. The Governor and the Island Council may enact laws for the "
peace, order and good government In many Commonwealth jurisdictions, the phrase "peace, order, and good government" (POGG) is an expression used in law to express the legitimate objects of legislative powers conferred by statute. The phrase appears in many Imperial Acts of Par ...
" of Pitcairn. The Island Council customarily appoints a Mayor of Pitcairn as a day-to-day head of the local administration. There is a Commissioner, appointed by the Governor, who liaises between the Council and the Governor's office. Since 2015, same-sex marriage has been legal on Pitcairn Island, although there are no people on the island known to be in such a relationship. The Pitcairn Islands have the smallest population of any democracy in the world. The
United Nations Committee on Decolonization The United Nations Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, or the Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), is a committee of ...
includes the Pitcairn Islands on the
United Nations list of non-self-governing territories Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter defines a non-self-governing territory (NSGT) as a territory "whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government". In practice, an NSGT is a territory deemed by the United Nations Gene ...
.


Military

The Pitcairn Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom; defence is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and His Majesty's Armed Forces. The
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
maintains two offshore patrol vessels in the Indo-Pacific region, and . Either may be periodically employed for sovereignty protection and other duties around Pitcairn and her associated islands.


Mandatory work

Due to there being no income or sales tax, Pitcairn has established a system of
civil conscription Civil conscription is the obligation of civilians to perform mandatory labour for the government. This kind of work has to correspond with the exceptions in international agreements, otherwise it could fall under the category of unfree labour. Th ...
whereby all able-bodied people are required to perform, when called upon, jobs such as road maintenance and repairs to public buildings.


Economy


Agriculture

The fertile soil of the Pitcairn valleys, such as Isaac's Valley on the gentle slopes southeast of Adamstown, produces a wide variety of fruits, including bananas (Pitkern: ''plun''), papaya (''paw paws''),
pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...
s, mangoes,
watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varie ...
s,
cantaloupe The cantaloupe, rockmelon (Australia and New Zealand, although cantaloupe is used in some states of Australia), sweet melon, or spanspek (Southern Africa) is a melon that is a variety of the muskmelon species (''Cucumis melo'') from the fami ...
s, passionfruit, breadfruit, coconuts,
avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family ( Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for ...
es, and
citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
(including
mandarin orange The mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-colou ...
s, grapefruit, lemons and
limes Limes may refer to: * the plural form of lime (disambiguation) Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a ...
). Vegetables include sweet potatoes (kumura), carrots, sweet corn, tomatoes,
taro Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Afri ...
, yams,
peas The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...
, and beans.
Arrowroot Arrowroot is a starch obtained from the rhizomes (rootstock) of several tropical plants, traditionally ''Maranta arundinacea'', but also Florida arrowroot from ''Zamia integrifolia'', and tapioca from cassava (''Manihot esculenta''), which is oft ...
(''Maranta arundinacea'') and sugarcane are grown and harvested to produce arrowroot flour and molasses, respectively. Pitcairn Island is remarkably productive and its benign climate supports a wide range of tropical and temperate crops. All land allocation for any use including agriculture is under the discretion of the government. If the government deems agricultural production excessive then it may tax the land. If the agricultural land has been deemed not up to the standards of the government it may confiscate and transfer the land without compensation. Fish are plentiful in the seas around Pitcairn.
Spiny lobster Spiny lobsters, also known as langustas, langouste, or rock lobsters, are a family (Palinuridae) of about 60 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia. Spiny lobsters are also, especially in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, So ...
and a large variety of fish are caught for meals and for trading aboard passing ships. Almost every day someone will go fishing, whether it is from the rocks, from a longboat, or diving with a spear gun. There are numerous types of fish around the island. Fish such as nanwee, white fish, moi, and opapa are caught in shallow water, while snapper, big eye, and cod are caught in deep water, and yellow tail and wahoo are caught by trawling.


Minerals

Manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver and zinc have been discovered within the exclusive economic zone, which extends offshore and comprises .


Honey production

In 1998 the UK's overseas aid agency, the Department for International Development, funded an
apiculture Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
programme for Pitcairn which included training for Pitcairn's
beekeeper A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees. Beekeepers are also called honey farmers, apiarists, or less commonly, apiculturists (both from the Latin '' apis'', bee; cf. apiary). The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees i ...
s and a detailed analysis of Pitcairn's bees and honey with particular regard to the presence or absence of disease. Pitcairn has one of the best examples of disease-free bee populations anywhere in the world and the honey produced was and remains exceptionally high in quality. Pitcairn bees are also a placid variety and, within a short time, beekeepers are able to work with them wearing minimal protection. As a result, Pitcairn exports honey to New Zealand and to the United Kingdom. In London,
Fortnum & Mason Fortnum & Mason (colloquially often shortened to just Fortnum's) is an upmarket department store in Piccadilly, London, with additional stores at The Royal Exchange, St Pancras railway station, Heathrow Airport in London and K11 Musea In Hong ...
sells it and it is reportedly a favourite of King Charles and formerly Queen Elizabeth. The Pitcairn Islanders, under the "Bounty Products" and "Delectable Bounty" brands, also export dried fruit including bananas, papayas, pineapples, and mangoes to New Zealand. Honey production and all honey-related products are a protected monopoly. All funds and management are under the supervision and discretion of the government.


Cuisine

Cuisine is not very developed because of Pitcairn's tiny population. The most traditional meal is pota, mash from
palm leaves The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees. ...
and coconut. Domestic tropical plants are abundantly used. These include
basil Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also k ...
, breadfruit,
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...
, coconut,
bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
and
beans A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes thr ...
. Meat courses consist mainly of
fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...
and
beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...
. Given that most of the population's ancestry is from the UK, the cuisine is influenced by British cuisine; for example, the
meat pie A meat pie is a pie with a filling of meat and often with other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide. Meat pies are usually baked, fried, or deep fried to brown them and develop the flavour through the Maillard reaction. M ...
. The cuisine of Norfolk Island is very similar to that of the Pitcairn Islands, as Norfolk Islanders trace their origins to Pitcairn. The local cuisine is a blend of British cuisine and Tahitian cuisine. Recipes from Norfolk Island of Pitcairn origin include mudda (green banana dumplings) and kumara pilhi. The island's cuisine also includes foods not found on Pitcairn, such as chopped salads and fruit pies.


Tourism

Tourism plays a major role on Pitcairn. Tourism is the focus for building the economy. It focuses on small groups coming by charter vessel and staying at "home stays". About ten times a year, passengers from expedition-type cruise ships come ashore for a day, weather permitting.Foreign travel advice: Pitcairn
. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. (6 December 2012). Retrieved 29 August 2016.
As of 2019, the government has been operating the MV ''Silver Supporter'' as the island's only dedicated passenger/cargo vessel, providing adventure tourism holidays to Pitcairn every week. Tourists stay with local families and experience the island's culture while contributing to the local economy. Providing accommodation is a growing source of revenue, and some families have invested in private self-contained units adjacent to their homes for tourists to rent. Entry requirements for short stays, up to 14 days, which do not require a visa, and for longer stays, that do require prior clearance, are explained in official documents. All persons under 16 years of age require prior clearance before landing, irrespective of the length of stay.


Crafts and external sales

The government holds a monopoly over "any article of whatsoever nature made, manufactured, prepared for sale or produced by any of the inhabitants of Pitcairn Island". The flow of funds from these revenue sources are from customer to the government to the Pitcairners. The Pitcairners are involved in creating crafts and curios (made out of wood from
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * H ...
). Typical woodcarvings include sharks, fish, whales, dolphins, turtles, vases, birds, walking sticks, book boxes, and models of the ''Bounty''. Miro (''
Thespesia populnea ''Thespesia populnea'', commonly known as the portia tree (), Pacific rosewood, Indian tulip tree, or milo, among other names, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a tree found commonly on coasts ar ...
''), a dark and durable wood, is preferred for carving. Islanders also produce
tapa cloth Tapa cloth (or simply ''tapa'') is a barkcloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, but as far afield as Niue, Cook Islands, Futuna, Solomon Islands, Java, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea an ...
and painted Hattie leaves. The major sources of revenue have been the sale of coins and postage stamps to collectors, .pn domain names, and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships, most of which are on the United Kingdom to New Zealand route via the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
. The Pitcairn Islands issued their first stamp in 1940. These became very popular with stamp collectors, and their sale became the dominant source of revenue for the community. Profits went into a general fund which enabled the island to be mostly self-sufficient. This fund was used to meet the regular needs of the community, and pay wages. Funds in excess of regular expenses were used to build a school and hire a teacher from New Zealand, the first professional teacher hired on the island. The fund was also used to subsidise imports and travel to New Zealand. At later points, the sale of coins and .pn domain names also contributed to the fund. Towards the end of the 20th century, as writing letters became less common and stamp collecting became less popular, revenue for the fund declined. In 2004, the island went bankrupt, with the British government subsequently providing 90% of its annual budget.


Electricity

Diesel generators provide the island with electricity from 7 am to 10 pm. A wind power plant was planned to be installed to help reduce the high cost of power generation associated with the import of diesel, but was cancelled in 2013 after a project overrun of three years and a cost of £250,000. The only qualified high-voltage electrician on Pitcairn, who manages the electricity grid, reached the age of 67 in 2020.Rob Solomon and Kirsty Burnett (January 2014
Pitcairn Island Economic Review
. government.pn.


Demographics

The islands have suffered a substantial population decline since 1940, and the viability of the island's community is in doubt (see § Potential extinction, below). The government has tried to attract migrants. However, these initiatives have not been effective. Only two children were born on Pitcairn in the 21 years prior to 2012. In 2005, Shirley and Simon Young became the first married outsider couple in history to obtain citizenship on Pitcairn.


Language

Most resident Pitcairn Islanders are descendants of the ''Bounty'' mutineers and Tahitians (or other Polynesians).
Pitkern Pitkern, also known as Pitcairn-Norfolk or Pitcairnese, is a language spoken on Pitcairn and Norfolk islands. It is a mixture of English and Tahitian, and has been given many classifications by scholars, including cant, patois, and Atlantic Cre ...
is a
creole language A creole language, or simply creole, is a stable natural language that develops from the simplifying and mixing of different languages into a new one within a fairly brief period of time: often, a pidgin evolved into a full-fledged language. ...
derived from 18th-century English, with elements of the Tahitian language. It is spoken as a first language by the population and is taught alongside English at the island's only school. It is closely related to the creole language
Norfuk Norfuk ( pih, Norfuk) (increasingly spelt Norfolk) or Norf'k is the language spoken on Norfolk Island (in the Pacific Ocean) by the local residents. It is a blend of 18th-century English and Tahitian, originally introduced by Pitkern-speakin ...
, spoken on Norfolk Island, because Norfolk was repopulated in the mid-19th century by Pitcairners.


Religion

The only church building on the island is
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not a state religion, as no laws concerning its establishment were passed by the
local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-l ...
. A successful
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
mission in the 1890s was important in shaping Pitcairn society. In recent years, the church population has declined, and , eight of the then forty islanders attended services regularly, but most attend church on special occasions. From Friday at sunset until Saturday at sunset, Pitcairners observe a day of rest in observance of the Sabbath, or as a mark of respect for observant Adventists. The church was built in 1954 and is run by the Church board and resident pastor, who usually serves a two-year term. The Sabbath School meets at 10 am on Saturday mornings, and is followed by Divine Service an hour later. On Tuesday evenings, there is another service in the form of a prayer meeting.


Education

Education is free and compulsory between the ages of five and 15. Children up to the age of 12 are taught at
Pulau School The Pulau School is the only school on the Pitcairn Islands. It is located in the capital of Adamstown and follows a modified version of the New Zealand educational curriculum, but with some changes made to promote local culture and traditions. ...
, while children of 13 and over attend secondary school in New Zealand, or are educated via correspondence school. The island's children have produced a book in
Pitkern Pitkern, also known as Pitcairn-Norfolk or Pitcairnese, is a language spoken on Pitcairn and Norfolk islands. It is a mixture of English and Tahitian, and has been given many classifications by scholars, including cant, patois, and Atlantic Cre ...
and English called ''Mi Bas Side orn Pitcairn'' or ''My Favourite Place on Pitcairn''. The school on Pitcairn,
Pulau School The Pulau School is the only school on the Pitcairn Islands. It is located in the capital of Adamstown and follows a modified version of the New Zealand educational curriculum, but with some changes made to promote local culture and traditions. ...
, provides pre-school and primary education based on the New Zealand syllabus. The teacher is appointed by the governor from suitable qualified applicants who are registered in New Zealand as teachers. The government officially took responsibility for education in 1958; the Seventh-day Adventist Church had done so from the 1890s until 1958. There were ten students in 1999; enrollment was previously 20 in the early 1950s, 28 in 1959, and 36 in 1962. The Pulau School has a residence for teachers built in 2004; there was a previous such facility built in 1950.


Historical population

Pitcairn's population has significantly decreased since its peak of over 200 in the 1930s, to less than fifty permanent residents today (2021).


Potential extinction

, the total resident population of the Pitcairn Islands was 47. It is rare for all the residents to be on-island at the same time; it is common for several residents to be off-island for varying lengths of time visiting family, for medical reasons, or to attend international conferences. A diaspora survey projected that by 2045, if nothing were done, only three people of working age would be left on the island, with the rest being very old. In addition, the survey revealed that residents who had left the island over the past decades showed little interest in coming back. Of the hundreds of emigrants contacted, only 33 were willing to participate in the survey and just three expressed a desire to return. , the labour force consisted of 31 able-bodied persons: 17 males and 14 females between 18 and 64 years of age. Of the 31, just seven are younger than 40, but 18 are over the age of 50. Most of the men undertake the more strenuous physical tasks on the island such as crewing the longboats, cargo handling, and the operation and maintenance of physical assets. Longboat crew retirement age is 58. There were then 12 men aged between 18 and 58 residing on Pitcairn. Each
longboat A longboat is a type of ship's boat that was in use from ''circa'' 1500 or before. Though the Royal Navy replaced longboats with launches from 1780, examples can be found in merchant ships after that date. The longboat was usually the largest boa ...
requires a minimum crew of three; of the four longboat
coxswain The coxswain ( , or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from ''cock'', referring to the cockboat, a type of ship's boa ...
s, two were in their late 50s. The Pitcairn government's attempts to attract migrants have been unsuccessful. Since 2013, some 700 make inquiries each year, but so far, not a single formal settlement application has been received."Pitcairn Island, an idyll haunted by its past"
. ''Toronto Star''. 16 December 2013.
The migrants are prohibited from taking local jobs or claiming benefits for a certain length of time, even those with children. The migrants are expected to have at least
NZ$ The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; sign: $, NZ$; code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New ...
30,000 per person in savings and are expected to build their own house at average cost of NZ$140,000.Bill Haigh
"Pitcairn Island Immigration"
. immigration.pn
Kerry Young, Heather Menzies

. young.pn
It is also possible to bring off-island builders at an additional cost of between NZ$23,000 and NZ$28,000. The average annual cost of living on the island is
NZ$ The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; sign: $, NZ$; code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New ...
9,464. There is, however, no assurance of the migrant's right to remain on Pitcairn; after their first two years, the council must review and reapprove the migrant's status. The migrants are also required to take part in the unpaid public work to keep the island in order such as maintaining the island's numerous roads and paths, building roads, navigating the island longboats, and cleaning public toilets. There are also restrictions on bringing children under the age of 16 to the island. Freight from
Tauranga Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...
to Pitcairn on the (Pitcairn Island's dedicated passenger and cargo ship chartered by the Pitcairn government) is charged at NZ$350/m3 for Pitcairners and NZ$1,000/m3 for all other freight. Additionally, Pitcairners are charged NZ$3,000 for a one-way trip; others are charged NZ$5,000. , the government's Pitcairn Islands Economic Report stated that " will migrate to Pitcairn Islands for economic reasons as there are limited government jobs, a lack of private sector employment, as well as considerable competition for the tourism dollar." The Pitcairners take turns to accommodate those few tourists who occasionally visit the island. As the island remains a British Overseas Territory, the British government will at some stage be required to make a decision about the island's future.


Culture

The once-strict moral codes, which prohibited dancing,
public displays of affection Public displays of affection (PDA) are acts of physical intimacy in the view of others. What is an acceptable display of affection varies with respect to culture and context. Some organizations have rules limiting or prohibiting public display ...
, smoking, and consumption of alcohol, have been relaxed. Islanders and visitors no longer require a six-month licence to purchase, import, and consume alcohol. There is now one licensed café and bar on the island, and the government store sells alcohol and cigarettes. Fishing and swimming are two popular recreational activities. A birthday celebration or the arrival of a ship or yacht will involve the entire Pitcairn community in a public dinner in the Square, Adamstown. Tables are covered in a variety of foods, including fish, meat, chicken, pilhi, baked rice, boiled ''plun'' (banana), breadfruit, vegetable dishes, an assortment of pies, bread, breadsticks, an array of desserts, pineapple, and watermelon. Paid employees maintain the island's numerous roads and paths. , the island had a
labour force The workforce or labour force is a concept referring to the pool of human beings either in employment or in unemployment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic reg ...
of over 35 men and women. Bounty Day is an annual
public holiday A public holiday, national holiday, or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Sovereign nations and territories observe holidays based on events of significance to their history ...
celebrated on Pitcairn on 23 January to commemorate the day in 1790 when the mutineers arrived on the island in HMS ''Bounty''.


Media and communications

; Post: The UK Postcode for directing mail to Pitcairn Island is PCRN 1ZZ. ; Newspapers
The Pitcairn Miscellany
is a monthly newspaper available in print and online editions. Dem Tull was an online monthly newsletter published between 2007 and 2016. ; Telecommunications: Pitcairn uses New Zealand's
international calling code Country calling codes or country dial-in codes are telephone number prefixes for reaching telephone subscribers in the networks of the member countries or regions of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The codes are defined by the ...
, +64. It is still on the manual telephone system. ; Radio: There is no broadcast station. Marine band
walkie-talkie A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver (HT), is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, ...
radios are used to maintain contact among people in different areas of the island. Foreign stations can be picked up on shortwave radio. ; Amateur radio: Callsign website QRZ.COM lists six amateur radio operators on the island, using the ITU prefix (assigned through the UK) of VP6, two of whom have a second VR6 callsign. However, two of these 6 are listed by QRZ.COM as deceased, while others are no longer active. Pitcairn Island has one callsign allocated to its Club Station, VP6PAC. QRZ.COM lists 29 VP6 callsigns being allocated in total, 20 of them to off-islanders. Of these, five were allocated to temporary residents and ten to individuals visiting. The rest were assigned to the
DX-pedition A DX-pedition is an expedition to what is considered an exotic place by amateur radio operators and DX listeners, typically because of its remoteness, access restrictions, or simply because there are very few radio amateurs active from that pl ...
s to Pitcairn, one of which took place . In 2008, a major DX-pedition visited
Ducie Island Ducie Island is an uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Islands. It lies east of Pitcairn Island, and east of Henderson Island, and has a total area of , which includes the lagoon. It is long, measured northeast to southwest, and about wide. ...
. In 2018, another major DX-pedition visited
Ducie Island Ducie Island is an uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Islands. It lies east of Pitcairn Island, and east of Henderson Island, and has a total area of , which includes the lagoon. It is long, measured northeast to southwest, and about wide. ...
. ; Television: Pitcairn can receive a number of television channels but only has capacity to broadcast two channels to houses at any one time. The channels are currently switched on a regular basis. ; Internet: There is one government-sponsored
satellite Internet Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communication satellites. Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high d ...
connection, with networking provided to the inhabitants of the island. Pitcairn's
country code top-level domain A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is an Internet top-level domain generally used or reserved for a country, sovereign state, or dependent territory identified with a country code. All ASCII ccTLD identifiers are two letters long, and all ...
is .pn. Residents pay NZ$50 (about £26) for 25 GB of data per month. In 2012, a single 1 Mbit/s link installed provided the islanders with an Internet connection, the 1 Mbit/s was shared across all families on the island. By December 2017, the British Government implemented a 4G LTE mobile network in Adamstown with shared speeds of 5 Mbit/s across all islanders.


Transport

All settlers of the Pitcairn Islands arrived by boat or ship. Pitcairn Island does not have an airport, airstrip or seaport; the islanders rely on
longboat A longboat is a type of ship's boat that was in use from ''circa'' 1500 or before. Though the Royal Navy replaced longboats with launches from 1780, examples can be found in merchant ships after that date. The longboat was usually the largest boa ...
s to ferry people and goods between visiting ships and shore through Bounty Bay. Access to the rest of the shoreline is restricted by jagged rocks. The island has one shallow harbour with a launch ramp accessible only by small longboats. In 2014, a medical emergency requiring transport to a hospital in Papeete involved a 335 nautical mile (540 km) trip in an open boat to the island of
Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
, then an
air ambulance Air medical services is a comprehensive term covering the use of air transportation, aeroplane or helicopter, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes. Personnel provide comprehensive prehospital and emergency and cri ...
flight 975 nautical miles (1570 km) to Papeete. It was organized by medical authorities in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, and French authorities in
Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
and Papeete. The British High Commissioner to New Zealand said "It can be a hazardous sea voyage from Pitcairn to Mangareva. This is especially so for open long boats. However, I'm pleased to say that all went well and both boats arrived safely in Mangareva mid-morning today, New Zealand time." A dedicated passenger and cargo supply ship chartered by the Pitcairn Island government, the , was until 2018 the principal transport from
Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
in the
Gambier Islands The Gambier Islands ( or ) are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of , and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera a ...
of French Polynesia. The supply ship was replaced in 2019 by . Totegegie Airport in Mangareva can be reached by air from the French Polynesian capital Papeete. There is one paved road leading up from Bounty Bay through Adamstown. The main modes of transport on Pitcairn Islands are by four-wheel drive
quad bikes An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...
and on foot. Much of the road and track network and some of the footpaths of Pitcairn Island are viewable on
Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
's Street View."View from the end of St Pauls Point on Street View"
. Retrieved 13 February 2014


Notable people

*
Ned Young The complement of , the Royal Navy ship on which a historic mutiny occurred in the south Pacific on 28 April 1789, comprised 46 men on its departure from England in December 1787 and 44 at the time of the mutiny, including her commander Lieute ...
(b 1762, d 1800 on Pitcairn), mutineer from the famous HMS ''Bounty'' incident, and co-founder of the mutineers' Pitcairn Island settlement. * Teraura (b 1775, d 1850 on Pitcairn), Tahitian noblewoman and tapa weaver, 'partner' of Ned Young, Matthew Quintal and Thursday October Christian I. * William McCoy (b 1763, d 1798 on Pitcairn), a Scottish sailor and a mutineer on board HMS ''Bounty''. *
Fletcher Christian Fletcher Christian (25 September 1764 – 20 September 1793) was master's mate on board HMS ''Bounty'' during Lieutenant William Bligh's voyage to Tahiti during 1787–1789 for breadfruit plants. In the mutiny on the ''Bounty'', Christian se ...
(b 1764, d 1793 on Pitcairn), Master's mate on board HMS ''Bounty'', died here at age 28. *
Matthew Quintal The complement of , the Royal Navy ship on which a historic mutiny occurred in the south Pacific on 28 April 1789, comprised 46 men on its departure from England in December 1787 and 44 at the time of the mutiny, including her commander Lieute ...
(b 1766, d 1799 on Pitcairn), a Cornish able seaman and mutineer aboard HMS ''Bounty'' *
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of t ...
(b 1767, d 1829 on Pitcairn), the last survivor of the HMS ''Bounty'' mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in January 1790, the year after the mutiny *
Thursday October Christian I Thursday October Christian (14 October 1790 – 21 April 1831) was the first son of Fletcher Christian (leader of the historical mutiny on the ''Bounty'') and his Tahitian wife Mauatua. He was conceived on Tahiti, and was the first child born o ...
(1790–1831), the first son of
Fletcher Christian Fletcher Christian (25 September 1764 – 20 September 1793) was master's mate on board HMS ''Bounty'' during Lieutenant William Bligh's voyage to Tahiti during 1787–1789 for breadfruit plants. In the mutiny on the ''Bounty'', Christian se ...
* George Adams (1804–1873), served as Chief Magistrate on Pitcairn in 1848 * Thursday October Christian II (1820–1911), a Pitcairn Islands political leader. Grandson of
Fletcher Christian Fletcher Christian (25 September 1764 – 20 September 1793) was master's mate on board HMS ''Bounty'' during Lieutenant William Bligh's voyage to Tahiti during 1787–1789 for breadfruit plants. In the mutiny on the ''Bounty'', Christian se ...
and son of
Thursday October Christian I Thursday October Christian (14 October 1790 – 21 April 1831) was the first son of Fletcher Christian (leader of the historical mutiny on the ''Bounty'') and his Tahitian wife Mauatua. He was conceived on Tahiti, and was the first child born o ...
* Simon Young (1823–1893), served as Magistrate of the Pitcairn Islands in 1849 * Moses Young (1829–1909), served as magistrate of Pitcairn Island four times, between 1865 and 1881 * James Russell McCoy (1845–1924), served as Magistrate of Pitcairn Island 7 times, between 1870 and 1904 *
Benjamin Stanley Young Benjamin Stanley Young (13 December 1851 –16 August 1934) served as Magistrate of the British Overseas Territory of the Pitcairn Islands twice, from 1884 to 1885, and in 1892. Young's father, Simon Young, also served as magistrate. Young was de ...
(1851–1934), served as Magistrate of the Pitcairn Islands twice, from 1884 to 1885, and in 1892 *
Rosalind Amelia Young Rosalind Amelia Young (13 August 1853 – 1 February 1924) was a historian from Pitcairn Islands. Early life Young was born in 1853 on Pitcairn Island to Simon Young and Mary Buffett Christian. She was also the great-granddaughter of John A ...
(1853–1924), a historian from Pitcairn Islands *
William Alfred Young William Alfred Young (4 April 1863 – 1 July 1911) served as President of the Council, and Magistrate of the British Overseas Territory of Pitcairn Island three times, between 1897 and 1908. Young was the son of Simon Young and the younger brot ...
(1863–1911), served as President of the council, and Magistrate of Pitcairn Island three times, between 1897 and 1908 * Matthew Edmond McCoy (1868–1929), served as Magistrate of Pitcairn Island in 1909 * Gerard Bromley Robert Christian (1870–1919), served as Magistrate of Pitcairn Island from 1910 to 1919 * Edgar Allen Christian (1879–1960), a politician from Pitcairn and Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island on several occasions between 1923 and 1939 * Charles Richard Parkin Christian (1883–1971), a long-serving politician from Pitcairn and Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island for eleven years at various times between 1920 and 1957 * Frederick Martin Christian (1883–1971), a politician from Pitcairn and Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island on three occasions between 1921 and 1943 * John Lorenzo Christian (1895–1984), twice served as Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island: 1952–54 and 1961–66 *
Ivan Christian Ivan Roa Christian (31 May 1919 – 1991) was a politician from Pitcairn. He was the Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island from 1976 to 1984.John Carter, ''Pacific Islands Yearbook'' (1984), p. 366 As his surname suggests, he is descended from the ...
(1919–1991), a politician from Pitcairn and Chief Magistrate of Pitcairn Island from 1976 to 1984 * Tom Christian (1935–2013), radio operator * Brenda Christian (born 1953), a political figure from the Pitcairn Islands and served the territory as its first female Mayor from 8 November to 15 December 2004 * Jay Warren (born 1956), a political figure who served as the 3rd Mayor of Pitcairn Islands


Gallery

File:Bounty Bay Jetty 1970s.jpg, Bounty Bay in the 1970s File:Pitcairn Island.jpg, File:Henderson.JPG, Henderson Island shelter File:W W oeno island atol.png, Oeno File:Stpaulspoint.jpg, St. Paul's Point in west Pitcairn Islands File:Pitcairnvegetation.jpg, Garnets Ridge, Pitcairn Island


See also

* Bibliography of the Pitcairn Islands * Bounty Bible * Descendants of the Bounty mutineers * Island Council (Pitcairn) * Languages of the Pitcairn Islands * Law enforcement in the Pitcairn Islands * Lists of islands * Outline of the Pitcairn Islands *
Pitcairn Islanders Pitcairn Islanders, also referred to as Pitkerners and Pitcairnese, are the inhabitants or citizens of the Pitcairn Islands. The Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory, mainly inhabited by Euronesians of British and Tahitian desc ...
*
Thursday October Christian I Thursday October Christian (14 October 1790 – 21 April 1831) was the first son of Fletcher Christian (leader of the historical mutiny on the ''Bounty'') and his Tahitian wife Mauatua. He was conceived on Tahiti, and was the first child born o ...


References


Further reading


''Mutiny on the ''Bounty'' ''

* ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, 1932 * ''The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty'' by Caroline Alexander (Harper Perennial, London, 2003 pp. 491) * ''The Discovery of Fletcher Christian: A Travel Book'' by Glynn Christian, a descendant of Fletcher Christian, Fletcher Christian, Bounty Mutineer (Guild Press, London, 2005 pp. 448)


After the Mutiny

* ''Men Against the Sea'' by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, 1933 * ''Pitcairn's Island'' by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, 1934 * ''The Pitcairners'' by Robert B. Nicolson (Pasifika Press, Auckland, 1997 pp. 260) * ''After the Bounty: The Aftermath of the Infamous Mutiny on the HMS Bounty—An Insight to the Plight of the Mutineers'' by Cal Adams, a descendant of John Adams (mutineer), John Adams, Bounty Mutineer (Self-published, Sydney, 2008 pp. 184) *
The "Re-colonising of Pitcairn
' by Sue Farran, Senior Lecturer, University of Dundee; Visiting Lecturer, University of the South Pacific. * Ball, Ian M. – ''Pitcairn: Children of Mutiny.'' 1973 * Belcher, Lady – ''The Mutineers of the Bounty and Their Descendants in Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands.'' 1870 * Dea Birkett, Birkett, Dea – ''Serpent in Paradise.'' Anchor Doubleday, 1997. . * Brodie, Walter – ''Pitcairn Island and the Islanders in 1850.'' 1851 * Christian, Glynn – ''Fragile Paradise: The Discovery of Fletcher Christian, Bounty Mutineer.'' 2005 * Clarke, Peter – ''Hell and Paradise: The Norfolk-Bounty-Pitcairn Saga.'' 1986 * William Young Fullerton, Fullerton, W. Y. – ''The Romance of Pitcairn Island.'' 1923 * Hancock, W. K. – ''Politics in Pitcairn and Other Essays.'' 1947 * Lucas, Charles – ''The Pitcairn Island Register Book.'' 1929 * Trevor Lummis, Lummis, Trevor – ''Pitcairn Island: Life and death in Eden.'' 1997 * Manorial Research with the National Maritime Museum (UK) – ''Mutiny on the Bounty, 1789-1989.'' 1989 * Murray, Rev. T. B. – ''Pitcairn: The Island, the People, and the Pastor.'' 1853 * Oliver, Dawn, ed. – ''Justice, Legality and the Rule of Law: Lessons from the Pitcairn Prosecutions.'' 2009 * Oliver, Douglas – ''Return to Tahiti: Bligh's Second Breadfruit Voyage.'' 1988 * Randall, John E. – ''Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific: New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands.'' 2005 * Harry L. Shapiro, Shapiro, Harry L. – ''The Heritage of the 'Bounty': The Story of Pitcairn Through Six Generations.'' 1936 * Silverman, David – ''Pitcairn Island.'' 1967 * George Tobin (Royal Navy officer), Tobin, George, Lt. – ''Captain Bligh's Second Chance: An eyewitness account of his return to the South Seas.'' 2007


Fiction

* Frederick Chamier, Chamier, Frederick – ''Jack Adams, the Mutineer''. 1838 * Kinsolving, William – ''Mister Christian''. 1996 * Val McDermid, McDermid, Val – ''The Grave Tattoo''. 2006 * Mountain, Fiona – ''Isabella''. 1999 * Charles Nordhoff, Nordhoff, Charles and James Norman Hall – ''Pitcairn's Island (novel), Pitcairn's Island''. 1934 * Diana Souhami, Souhami, Diana – ''Coconut Chaos: Pitcairn, mutiny and a seduction at sea.'' 2007 * Wilson, Erle – ''Adams of the Bounty.'' 1958


Other

* * * * *


External links

*


Government


Pitcairn Government official website


Travel


Pitcairn Island Tourism
Official tourism site of the Pitcairn Islands.
Google Street View June 2013
*


Local news


Pitcairn News from Big Flower
News from Big Flower, Pitcairn Island.
Pitcairn Miscellany
News from Pitcairn Island. Jacqui Christian, ed.
Pitcairn News
information from Chris Double, a Bounty descendant based in Auckland
''Uklun Tul Un Dem Tul''
Pitcairn news by Kari Young, a Pitcairn resident.


Study groups


U.S. Pitcairn Islands Study Centre

U.S. Pitcairn Islands Study Group
{{Coord, 25, 04, S, 130, 06, W, type:isle_region:PN, display=title Pitcairn Islands, English-speaking countries and territories Important Bird Areas of the Pitcairn Islands Island countries Islands of the Pitcairn Islands Mutiny on the Bounty Geography of Polynesia States and territories established in 1838 Volcanoes of the United Kingdom British Western Pacific Territories British Overseas Territories, .Pitcairn Former British colonies and protectorates in Oceania