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PITCAIRN ISLANDS

 (dependent territory of the UK) 

@Pitcairn Islands:Geography

 Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half
 of the way from Peru to New Zealand

 Map references: Oceania

 Area:
 total area: 47 sq km
 land area: 47 sq km
 comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

 Land boundaries: 0 km

 Coastline: 51 km

 Maritime claims:
 exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
 territorial sea: 3 nm

 International disputes: none

 Climate: tropical, hot, humid, modified by southeast trade winds;
 rainy season (November to March)

 Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

 Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

 Land use:
 arable land: NA%
 permanent crops: NA%
 meadows and pastures: NA%
 forest and woodland: NA%
 other: NA%

 Irrigated land: NA sq km

 Environment:
 current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original
 forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
 natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)
 international agreements: NA

@Pitcairn Islands:People

 Population: 73 (July 1995 est.)

 Age structure:
 0-14 years: NA
 15-64 years: NA
 65 years and over: NA

 Population growth rate: 2.8% (1995 est.)

 Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

 Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

 Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

 Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

 Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: NA years
 male: NA years
 female: NA years

 Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

 Nationality:
 noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
 adjective: Pitcairn Islander

 Ethnic divisions: descendants of the Bounty mutineers

 Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

 Languages: English (official), Tahitian/English dialect

 Labor force: NA
 by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public
 works; subsistence farming and fishing

@Pitcairn Islands:Government

 Names:
 conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
 conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

 Digraph: PC

 Type: dependent territory of the UK

 Capital: Adamstown

 Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
 Saturday in June)

 Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964

 Legal system: local island by-laws

 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

 Executive branch:
 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
 represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
 (non-resident) of the Pitcairn Islands Robert John ALSTON (since NA);
 Commissioner (non-resident) G.D. HARRAWAY (since NA; is the liaison
 person between the governor and the Island Council)
 head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island
 Council Jay WARREN (since NA)

 Legislative branch: unicameral
 Island Council: elections take place each December; last held NA
 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1995); results - percent of
 vote NA; seats - (11 total, 5 elected) all independents

 Judicial branch: Island Court

 Political parties and leaders: none

 Other political or pressure groups: NA

 Member of: SPC

 Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)

 Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
 and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of
 the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
 shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy

 Overview: The inhabitants exist on fishing and subsistence farming.
 The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
 vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
 and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
 sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
 the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

 National product: GDP $NA

 National product real growth rate: NA%

 National product per capita: $NA

 Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

 Unemployment rate: NA%

 Budget:
 revenues: $430,000
 expenditures: $429,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987
 est.)

 Exports: $NA
 commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios
 partners: NA

 Imports: $NA
 commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar,
 other foodstuffs
 partners: NA

 External debt: $NA

 Industrial production: growth rate NA%

 Electricity:
 capacity: 110 kW
 production: 300,000 kWh
 consumption per capita: 5,360 kWh (1990)

 Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts

 Agriculture: based on subsistence fishing and farming; wide variety of
 fruits and vegetables; must import grain products

 Economic aid:
 recipient: ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $84,000

 Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

 Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.5601 (January
 1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991),
 1.6750 (1990)

 Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Pitcairn Islands:Transportation

 Railroads: 0 km

 Highways:
 total: 6.4 km
 unpaved: earth 6.4 km

 Ports: Bounty Bay

 Merchant marine: none

 Airports: none

@Pitcairn Islands:Communications

 Telephone system: 24 telephones; party line telephone service on the
 island
 local: NA
 intercity: NA
 international: NA

 Radio:
 broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
 radios: NA

 Television:
 broadcast stations: 0
 televisions: NA

@Pitcairn Islands:Defense Forces

 Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


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