Pitcairn

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Pitcairn's Information


Capital	Adamstown
Languages	English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Ethnic Groups	Descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
Religion	Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Government	Parliamentary democracy (Island Council); overseas territory of the UK
Independance	None (overseas territory of the UK)
Area	47.00 km²
Land Area	47.00 km²
Population	54.00
Location	Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
Export Commodities	Its main exports are honey, fruits, vegetables, curios, and postage stamps.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include fuel oil, machinery, building materials, and flour.
Climate	Temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Terrain	Rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Where is Pitcairn?

Located in Oceania, Pitcairn is an island nation. It has a 51.00 km coastline.

The capital and only city in the Pitcairn Islands is Adamstown. It is located on Pitcairn Island which is the only one of the four which make up the region to be populated. Adamstown is home to the entire population of this territory with a total of fifty six citizens calling it home. Although most of these residents live in the town the majority must travel to other parts of the island in order to raise their crops. As the second smallest capital city on Earth Adamstown is not a popular mecca even for international tourists seeking to spend their vacations in a warm tropical locale. It is, however, an appropriate destination spot for anyone interested in the historical saga involving the infamous mutiny of the HMS Bounty. An artifact from the ship, a Bible, is currently preserved and on display in an Adamstown museum which opened its doors in 2006.

Geography

Pitcairn has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate with cold, cloudy winters and mild, rainy summers. Its terrain is rugged with volcanic formations and a rocky coastline with cliffs.

Population

Pitcairn has a population of 54 making it the 237th largest in the world.

English is the official language, while Pitkern is also widely spoken. The major ethnic groups are descendents of the Bounty mutineers. The vast majority of the country are Seventh-Day Adventist Christians.

The two official languages of the Pitcairn Islands are English and Pitkern or Pitcairn-Norfolk. Pitkern is a creole language which is rooted in the 18th century when sailors from the British ship the Bounty encountered the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands. It began as a makeshift language utilized to bridge the gap between two diverse groups of people with no common language or way of effectively communicating. In 2002 only thirty six people spoke Pitkern. Common phrases in this Pacific Island language include, “Whata way ye?” meaning “How are you?” and “weckle” which translates to “food”. Although there are no minority languages recognized in the Pitcairn Islands the languages of the nearby islands of Tahiti and Norfolk are spoken by an array of local residents.

Government

It is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Its constitution was last ratified in 2010.

The government of the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands is classified as being a dependency operating under an elected mayoralty. Because of its status as a constitutional monarchy the four South Pacific islands are under the rule of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. The legislative branch of the local government is called the Island Council which meets in nearby Auckland, New Zealand. This administrative body is made up of ten members including the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councilors, Administrator, Governor, and Deputy Governor. Elections take place according to the guidelines of a parliamentary democratic dependency.

Economy

The currency of Pitcairn is the Dollar (NZD).

Its major imports include fuel oil, machinery, building materials, and flour.

Flag

The flag of the Pitcairn Islands reflects the history as well as the culture of the citizens who live here. The island nation is represented by a flag sporting a solid blue color background. Because of its continuing relationship with the United Kingdom the flag includes Britain’s Union Jack situated in its upper hoist side corner. Its coat of arms, approved in 1969, also makes up a major portion of the flag. This emblem symbolizes the islands’ historical past as a refuge for mutinous British sailors of the HMS Bounty in 1789. The flag was adopted on April 2, 1984 after being initially proposed by the Pitcairn Island Council in 1980. The design of the islands’ official coat of arms can trace its origins back to 1969. The only other flag associated with the Pitcairn Islands is the Governor’s Flag which prominently features the United Kingdom’s Union Jack in its design.