World · permanent entity record · PN
Pitcairn Islands
Thirty-second orientation
Pitcairn Islands at a glance
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-15
- Area
- total : 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-15
- Nationality / demonym
- noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-15
- Languages
- English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-15
Claims are attributed · classifications are dated
Claims and contested status
Maintained classification
Dependency or area of special sovereignty
United Kingdom
U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · as of 2026-03-31A claim’s appearance records that the cited source reports it. It does not constitute an Almanac ruling on sovereignty.
Maintained profile
- Classification
- Dependency or area of special sovereignty
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · Federal classification and wording follow the current State Department register.
- Sovereignty or administration
- United Kingdom
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
- Administrative center
- Adamstown
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
Preserved public-domain record · not maintained current data
Final CIA World Factbook profile
This is the preserved historical baseline from the Factbook’s final public snapshot. It is presented as the CIA stated it, not as a current Standard American Almanac finding. Current, independently maintained facts appear above when available.
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · profile updated · pinned source record · commit d81154954b8b
Introduction1 fields
- Background
- Polynesians were the first settlers on the four tiny islands that are now called the Pitcairn Islands, but all four were uninhabited by the time Europeans discovered them in 1606. Pitcairn Island -- the only one now inhabited -- was rediscovered by a British explorer in 1767. In 1789, Fletcher CHRISTIAN led a mutiny on the HMS Bounty, and after several months of searching for Pitcairn Island, he landed on it with eight other mutineers and their Tahitian companions. They lived in isolation and evaded detection by English authorities until 1808, when only one man, 10 women, and 23 children remained. In 1831, with the population of 87 proving too big for the island, the British attempted to move all the islanders to Tahiti, but they were soon returned to Pitcairn Island. The island became an official British colony in 1838, and in 1856, the British again determined that the population of 193 was too high and relocated all the residents to Norfolk Island. Several families returned in 1858 and 1864, bringing the island’s population to 43, and almost all of the island’s current population are descendants of these returnees. The UK annexed the nearby uninhabited islands of Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie in 1902 and incorporated them into the Pitcairn Islands colony in 1938. The population peaked at 233 in 1937 as outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has since thinned the population. Only two children were born between 1986 and 2012, and in 2005, a couple became the first outsiders to obtain citizenship in more than a century. Since 2013, the Pitcairn Islands has tried to attract new migrants but has had no applicants because it requires prospective migrants to front significant sums of money and prohibits employment during a two-year trial period, at which point the local council can deny long-term resident status.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Geography17 fields
- Location
- Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Area
- total : 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Area - comparative
- about three-tenths the size of Washington, D.C.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Maritime claims
- territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Terrain
- rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Elevation
- highest point: Palwala Valley Point on Big Ridge 347 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural resources
- miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.5% (2022 est.) other: 25.5% (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural hazards
- occasional tropical cyclones (especially November to March), but generally only heavy tropical storms; landslides
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
People and Society7 fields
- Nationality
- noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Ethnic groups
- descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Languages
- English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- a handful of inhabitants, most residing near the village of Adamstown
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Environment3 fields
- Environmental issues
- deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 74.5% (2022 est.) other: 25.5% (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Government19 fields
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Constitution
- history: several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal with three years of residency
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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 Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 5 November 2025) 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: 5 November 2025 election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council expected date of next election: November 2028
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation from the US
- embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- International organization participation
- SPC, UPU
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Independence
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National holiday
- Official birthday of King Charles III, usually celebrated the second Saturday in June (1948); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Flag
- description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the green field features a yellow anchor with a Bible over it (both were on the HMS Bounty); a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow is on the crest, with a flowering twig of miro (a local plant) meaning: the green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National anthem(s)
- title: "We From Pitcairn Island" lyrics/music: unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN history: serves as a local anthem _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Economy8 fields
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Agricultural products
- honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens; fish
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Industries
- postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - partners
- UK 21%, Canada 19%, Tanzania 12%, Colombia 11%, Spain 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - commodities
- fertilizers, sulfur, refined petroleum, excavation machinery, ethylene polymers (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - partners
- USA 59%, NZ 37%, Italy 2%, UAE 1%, Brazil 1% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - commodities
- construction vehicles, refined petroleum, beef, computers, other foods (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exchange rates
- New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Communications4 fields
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- No traditional public cellular network. Satellite-based internet (Starlink) and VoIP apps (WhatsApp, Viber) are available.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Broadcast media
- satellite TV from Fiji-based Sky Pacific offering a wide range of international channels
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Internet users
- percent of population: 96.2% (2021 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Military and Security1 fields
- Military - note
- defense is the responsibility of the UK
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
The underlying United States government material is public domain. The Almanac’s reuse terms do not change the legal status of this preserved source layer.