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Pitcairn Island)
The Pitcairn Islands are a group of five islands, of which one is inhabited, in the southern Pacific Ocean, the only remaining British colony in the Pacific. The islands are known mostly because the original settlers were mutineers of HMS Bounty, as well as Tahitians those mutineers took along, as described in the book Mutiny on the Bounty, later depicted in a number of movies. Also it is the least populated country of the world with about 50 inhabitants (9 families).
History
Main article: History of the Pitcairn Islands
Although archaeologists assume that Polynesians lived on Pitcairn as late as the 15th century, the island was uninhabited when it was discovered by Spanish explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros. It was rediscovered by the British in 1767, and named after the crew member that first spotted the island.
In 1790, the mutineers of Bounty and their Tahitian companions settled on the island and set fire to the Bounty. Several of the mutineers and Tahitians subsequently killed other mutineers and Tahitians. The island became a British colony in 1838. By the mid 1850s the Pitcairn community was outgrowing the island and they appealed to Queen Victoria for help. Queen Victoria offered them Norfolk Island and on 3 May, 1856, the entire community of 193 people set sail for Norfolk Island on board the Morayshire. They arrived on 8 June after a miserable 5 week trip. However, after 18 months, 17 returned to Pitcairn and 5 years later another 27 returned.
Since a population peak of 233 in 1937, the island is suffering from emigration, primarily to New Zealand, leaving a current population of approximately 50.
The wreck of Bounty is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay.
There are allegations of a long history and tradition of sexual abuse of girls as young as 10 and 11, which culminated in 2004 in the charging of seven men living on Pitcairn, and another six now living abroad, with sex-related offence, including rape.
Politics
Main article: Politics of the Pitcairn Islands
The island is governed by the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, Richard Fell, who is therefore not resident on the island. The island's daily affairs were traditionally taken care of by the Magistrate, the chairman of the Island Council. Elections for this position took place every three years. The previous executive functions of the magistrate were transferred to the mayor of Pitcairn in 1998, currently Steve Christian.
Geography
Main article: Geography of the Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands consist of five islands: Pitcairn Island, Sandy Island, Oeno Island, Henderson Island and Ducie Island. Pitcairn and Henderson are volcanic islands, and Ducie is a coral atoll.
The only inhabited island, Pitcairn, has an area of 5 km² and a population density of 10/km²; it is only accessible by boat through Bounty Bay.
The other islands are at a distance of more than 100 km.
Economy
Main article: Economy of the Pitcairn Islands
The fertile soil of the Pitcairn valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, beans. The inhabitants of this tiny economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, with barter an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors, honey and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships, most of which are plying the United Kingdom to New Zealand route via the Panama Canal. Trade is restricted by the jagged design of the island, which lacks a harbour or airstrip, forcing all trade to be made by longboat to anchored ships.
Labor force: 12 able-bodied men and an unknown number of able bodied women (1997).
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of the Pitcairn Islands
Most of the resident Pitcairn Islanders are still descendants of the Bounty mutineers, as their surnames show. All Pitcairners are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. An 18th century dialect of the English language is spoken along with the Tahitian language, the two together forming a creole language known as Pitcairnese.
In September 2003 a child was born, the first on the Pitcairn Islands in 17 years.
Law and Crime
Showing affection in public, dancing and alcoholic beverages are forbidden. As recently as 2003, however, the prohibition on alcohol seemed to be slackening, with several families accepting use. Three judges, several court staff, prosecution and defence lawyers, and six journalists from New Zealand travelled to Pitcairn to conduct the trial.
On 30 September 2004, seven men living on Pitcairn and another six now living abroad went on trial facing 55 charges relating to sexual offences. The lead-up to the trial bitterly divided the tiny population of the island, which was subsequently ordered to surrender their twenty or so guns, both in view of emotions that were running high and to avoid hunting accidents with the additional foreigners around.
Communications
- Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)
- Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island
- International: radiotelephone
- Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
- Radios: Walkie-Talkie styled radios frequently used to maintain contact among people in different areas of the island.
- Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 Government-sponsored satellite internet connection, split to many houses on the island.
Country code (Top level domain): PN
Transportation
The settlers of the Pitcairns all arrived by some form of boat or ship; the most famous was the HMS Bounty, on which the mutiny occurred and which was burned down in Bounty Bay.
These remote islands do not have an airport or seaport; the country relies on longboats to ferry people and goods between ship and shore through Bounty Bay on the only inhabited island, Pitcairn. To get to Pitcairn it is necessary to fly to Tahiti, then Mangareva, then embark on a further 30-hour boat ride. There is one boat every several months.
There are no paved roads and no railways. There is 6.4 km of unpaved road. On land, walking has historically been the way of getting around; all-terrain vehicles have become common in more recent years.
ccTLD
Their Domain Registry is based at www.nic.pn (http://www.nic.pn/PnRegistry/PnRegistry.htm)
External links
de:Pitcairninseln
eo:Pitkarna Insulo
fr:Pitcairn
he:פיטקרן
nl:Pitcairn
fi:Pitcairn
pl:Pitcairn
ru:Питкэрн
sl:Pitcairnski otoki
sv:Pitcairnöarna
zh:皮特开恩群岛
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