The Pitcairn Islands, officially known as Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands, are a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. These islands form the only British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four islands—Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno—are spread out over several hundred kilometers of ocean and have a total land area of about 47 square kilometers (18 square miles). Henderson Island covers 86% of the land area, but only Pitcairn Island is inhabited. The nearest inhabited islands to the Pitcairn Islands are Mangareva, part of French Polynesia, which is 688 kilometers (428 miles) to the west, and Easter Island, which is 1,929 kilometers (1,199 miles) to the east.

The people living on Pitcairn Island are mostly descendants of nine British sailors who mutinied on the HMS Bounty and twelve Tahitian women. In 2023, the territory had a population of 35 people, making it the smallest territory in the world by the number of permanent residents. Because the island is very remote and has a small population, cases of widespread sexual abuse were not discovered until 1999. This led to a well-known sexual assault trial in 2004.

History

Evidence shows that the first people to live on the Pitcairn Islands were Polynesians. They lived on Pitcairn and Henderson for many years before the islands were abandoned. Henderson was likely left before the 16th century, and Pitcairn was abandoned in the 17th or early 18th century. When Europeans discovered the islands, they were empty of people.

In 1606, Portuguese sailor Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, sailing for the Spanish Crown, reached Ducie and Henderson Islands. He named them La Encarnación ("The Incarnation") and San Juan Bautista ("Saint John the Baptist"). Some sources question whether Queirós actually visited these islands or if he named them differently.

Pitcairn Island was first seen by the crew of the British ship HMS Swallow in 1767. Captain Philip Carteret, who led the ship, named the island after Robert Pitcairn, a 15-year-old crew member who spotted it first. Robert was the son of British Marine Major John Pitcairn, who died in the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill.

Carteret mapped Pitcairn’s location as 25°02′S 133°21′W, but his longitude was incorrect by about 3°, placing the island 330 km (210 mi) west of its actual position. This made it hard to find, as shown when Captain James Cook failed to locate Pitcairn in 1773.

In 1790, nine mutineers from the British ship HMS Bounty, along with Tahitian men, women, and a baby, settled on Pitcairn. They burned the Bounty. The ship’s wreckage is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay, but it gained attention in 1957 when National Geographic explorer Luis Marden documented it. The settlers faced challenges like disease, alcoholism, and murder. John Adams and Ned Young turned to the ship’s Bible to build a peaceful society. Young later died from an asthma infection.

Ducie Island was rediscovered in 1791 by Royal Navy captain Edward Edwards aboard HMS Pandora. He named it after Francis Reynolds-Moreton, 3rd Baron Ducie, a Royal Navy officer.

The Pitcairn islanders first saw a ship after the Bounty in December 1795, but it did not approach the island. A second ship appeared in 1801, and a third came close enough to see their house. In 1808, the American sealing ship Topaz, under Mayhew Folger, became the first to visit Pitcairn. Whalers later visited regularly, with the last recorded visit in 1888 by the James Arnold.

Folger’s discovery report gave a more accurate location for Pitcairn: 25°02′S 130°00′W. However, in 1814, Sir Thomas Staines found the island at 25°04′S 130°25′W, sending a report to the Admiralty. By then, only one mutineer, John Adams, was still alive. He was later granted amnesty for his role in the mutiny.

Henderson Island was rediscovered in 1819 by British Captain James Henderson of the Hercules. Captain Henry King of the Elizabeth also landed there, finding the British flag already raised. His crew carved their ship’s name into a tree. Oeno Island was discovered in 1824 by American captain George Worth aboard the whaler Oeno.

In 1832, Joshua Hill, an American adventurer, arrived after failed attempts to get help from the British government. By 1833, he had started a temperance society, prayer meetings, a school, and other groups to improve life on the island.

Traditionally, Pitcairn Islanders believe their islands officially became a British colony on 30 November 1838, becoming one of the first territories to give women voting rights. By the 1850s, the population grew too large for the island, and the community moved to Norfolk Island in 1856. Some returned later, but many stayed on Pitcairn.

In 1881, HMS Thetis visited Pitcairn and found the people happy and healthy. The population was 96, up from 90 in 1878. Supplies like whale-boats and cement were delivered, and the ship gave the islanders food, candles, and clothing. In 1882, the American ship Venus provided cotton seed for farming.

In 1886, John Tay, a Seventh-day Adventist, persuaded most islanders to adopt his faith. He returned in 1890 with a missionary to perform baptisms. Since then, most Pitcairn Islanders have been Adventists.

In 1902, Britain annexed Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie. In 1938, these islands and Pitcairn were grouped into the "Pitcairn Group of Islands." The population reached 233 in 1937 but has since decreased due to emigration, mainly to Australia and New Zealand.

In the 1950s, three cases of rape involving underage girls were reported. In 1999, police officer Gail Cox uncovered allegations of sexual abuse. A 15-year-old girl pressed rape charges, leading to "Operation Unique," which included 21 rape counts, 41 indecent assault counts, and two charges of gross indecency with children under 14. Interviews with women and accused men revealed stories of abuse involving girls as young as three. The investigation was led by Simon Moore, Pitcairn’s first Public Prosecutor.

Australian Seventh-day Adventists later visited Pitcairn, continuing their influence on the community.

Geography

The Pitcairn Islands are part of the Tuamotus group in French Polynesia. They include four islands: Pitcairn Island, Oeno Island (an atoll with five islets, one called Sandy Island), Henderson Island, and Ducie Island (an atoll with four islets).

The Pitcairn Islands were created by a rising magma center called the Pitcairn hotspot. Pitcairn Island is a volcanic remnant mainly made of tuff, with the north side of the volcano eroded. Pitcairn is the only island with permanent residents. Adamstown, the main settlement, is located in the area around the volcano. Pitcairn can only be reached by boat through Bounty Bay because of its steep cliffs. Henderson Island covers about 86% of the total land area of the Pitcairn Islands and has many types of animals in its hard-to-reach interior. Although Henderson has limited fresh water, it could support a small human population. Access is difficult because its outer shores are steep limestone cliffs covered with sharp coral. In 1988, Henderson was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The other islands are more than 100 km (62 mi) away and cannot support human life.

Pitcairn Island has no permanent water source, but it has three seasonal springs that provide water for short periods. The Pitcairn Islands include reef flats and lagoons of the atolls.

Pitcairn is located just south of the Tropic of Capricorn and has warm weather all year. In March 2019, the International Dark-Sky Association recognized the Pitcairn Islands as a Dark Sky Sanctuary. This designation covers all four islands in the Pitcairn Islands Group, totaling 43.25 km (16 3⁄4 sq. mi.).

Ecology

About 16 plant species are found only on Pitcairn. These include tapau, once used as a source of timber, and the giant nehe fern. Some plants, like the red berry (Coprosma benefica), are very close to disappearing. The plant Glochidion pitcairnense is found only on Pitcairn and Henderson Islands. Pitcairn is part of the Tuamotu tropical moist forests terrestrial ecoregion.

Between 1937 and 1951, Irving Johnson, the captain of the 29-meter (96-foot) brigantine Yankee Five, brought five Galápagos giant tortoises to Pitcairn. Turpen, also called Mr. Turpen or Mr. T, is the only one still alive. Turpen usually lives near Tedside by Western Harbour. A protection order states that it is illegal to kill, injure, capture, harm, or distress the tortoise.

The birds of Pitcairn are grouped into seabirds, wading birds, and a few land-bird species that live there year-round. Of 20 breeding bird species, Henderson Island has 16, including the unique flightless Henderson crake; Oeno has 12; Ducie has 13; and Pitcairn has six. Birds that breed on Pitcairn include the fairy tern, common noddy, and red-tailed tropicbird. The Pitcairn reed warbler, called a "sparrow" by Pitcairners, is found only on Pitcairn Island. It was once common but was added to the endangered species list in 2008.

A small group of humpback whales migrates to the islands each year to spend the winter and breed.

The four islands in the Pitcairn group are recognized by BirdLife International as separate Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Pitcairn Island is important because it is the only nesting site for the Pitcairn reed warbler. Henderson Island is significant for its unique land birds and breeding seabirds. Oeno’s importance comes mainly from its Murphy’s petrel colony. Ducie is important for its colonies of Murphy’s, herald, and Kermadec petrels, as well as Christmas shearwaters.

In March 2015, the British government created one of the largest marine protected areas in the world around the Pitcairn Islands. The reserve covers the islands’ entire exclusive economic zone—834,334 square kilometers (322,138 square miles). The goal is to protect some of the world’s most untouched ocean areas from illegal fishing. A satellite monitoring system called Project Eyes on the Seas, managed by the Satellite Applications Catapult and the Pew Charitable Trusts, was established at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Harwell, Oxfordshire. This system tracks vessel activity and collects data to help stop unauthorized fishing.

Politics

The Pitcairn Islands are a British overseas territory with some local government. The King of the United Kingdom is represented by a Governor, who also serves as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and works from Wellington.

The 2010 constitution allows the islands to function as a representative democracy. The United Kingdom is responsible for areas like defense and foreign relations. The Governor and the Island Council can create laws to keep the islands safe and running smoothly. The Island Council usually appoints a Mayor of Pitcairn to lead daily local work.

Since 2015, same-sex marriage has been legal on Pitcairn Island, though no one on the island is 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 lists the Pitcairn Islands as a non-self-governing territory.

Military

The Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory. Defense of the area is managed by the Ministry of Defence and the British Armed Forces. The Royal Navy has two patrol ships, HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, stationed in the Indo-Pacific region. These ships may be used from time to time for protecting the Pitcairn Islands and nearby areas, as well as for other responsibilities.

Economy

The fertile soil in the Pitcairn valleys, such as Isaac's Valley on the gentle slopes southeast of Adamstown, grows many types of fruits. These include bananas (Pitkern: plun), papaya (paw paws), pineapples, mangoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, passionfruit, breadfruit, coconuts, avocados, and citrus (like mandarin oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes). Vegetables grown there are sweet potatoes (kumura), carrots, sweet corn, tomatoes, taro, yams, peas, and beans. Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) and sugarcane are also grown. Arrowroot is used to make arrowroot flour, and sugarcane is used to make molasses. Pitcairn Island is very productive because its mild climate supports many tropical and temperate crops. The government decides how land is used for agriculture. If the government thinks farming is too much, it may tax the land. If farming does not meet government standards, the government may take the land and give it to someone else without paying the owner.

Fish are common in the waters around Pitcairn. Spiny lobster and many types of fish are caught for food and to trade with ships that pass by. People fish almost every day, whether from rocks, in a longboat, or by diving with a spear gun. Many fish species live near the island. Fish like nanwee, white fish, moi, and opapa are caught in shallow water, while snapper, big eye, and cod are caught in deep water. Yellow tail and wahoo are caught using trawling methods.

Manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been found in the area around Pitcairn. This area, called the exclusive economic zone, extends 370 km (230 mi) from the shore and covers 880,000 km² (340,000 mi²).

In 1998, the UK’s overseas aid agency, the Department for International Development, helped start a beekeeping program on Pitcairn. This included training for beekeepers and studying Pitcairn’s bees and honey to check for disease. Pitcairn has one of the healthiest bee populations in the world, and the honey is very high quality. Pitcairn bees are calm, so beekeepers can work with them wearing little protection. Pitcairn exports honey to New Zealand and the UK. In London, Fortnum & Mason sells it, and it is said to be a favorite of King Charles and Queen Elizabeth. Under the "Bounty Products" and "Delectable Bounty" brands, Pitcairn also exports dried fruit like bananas, papayas, pineapples, and mangoes to New Zealand. The government controls all honey production and related products.

Pitcairn’s food traditions are simple because of its small population. A traditional meal is pota, made from mashed palm leaves and coconut. Local tropical plants are used often, such as basil, breadfruit, sugarcane, coconut, bananas, and beans. Meat dishes are mostly fish and beef. Because many Pitcairn Islanders have ancestors from the UK, their food is influenced by British cuisine, like meat pies.

The food on Norfolk Island is similar to Pitcairn’s because Norfolk Islanders have roots in Pitcairn. Their cuisine combines British and Tahitian influences. Recipes from Norfolk Island with Pitcairn origins include mudda (green banana dumplings) and kumara pilhi. Norfolk Island also has foods not found on Pitcairn, such as chopped salads and fruit pies.

Tourism is important for Pitcairn’s economy. It focuses on small groups traveling by charter boat and staying with local families. About ten times a year, passengers from expedition cruise ships visit the island if the weather is good. Since 2019, the government has operated the MV Silver Supporter, the island’s only passenger and cargo ship, offering weekly trips to Pitcairn for adventure tourism. Tourists stay with families, experience the culture, and help the local economy. Providing accommodations is becoming a bigger source of income, and some families have built private homes for tourists to rent.

For short stays of up to 14 days, no visa is needed. For longer stays, people must get permission in advance. All children under 16 need permission before arriving, no matter how long they stay.

The government controls all items made, sold, or produced by Pitcairn Islanders. Money from these items goes to the government and then to the Pitcairners. Islanders make crafts and curios from wood on Henderson Island. Common woodcarvings include sharks, fish, whales, dolphins, turtles, vases, birds, walking sticks, book boxes, and models of the Bounty. Miro (Thespesia populnea), a strong and dark wood, is preferred for carving. Islanders also make tapa cloth and painted Hattie leaves.

The main sources of income for Pitcairn have been selling coins and postage stamps to collectors, .pn domain names, and selling handicrafts to ships traveling between the UK and New Zealand through the Panama Canal. Pitcairn first issued stamps in 1940, which became popular among collectors. Stamp sales were the main source of income, funding a general fund that helped the island be mostly self-sufficient. This fund paid for daily needs, wages, a school, and a teacher from New Zealand. Later, coins and .pn domain names also added to the fund. By the late 20th century, stamp collecting declined, and the island went bankrupt in 2004. The UK government then provided 90% of the island’s annual budget.

Diesel generators supply electricity to Pitcairn. A wind power plant was planned to reduce the high cost of using diesel, but the project was canceled in 2013 after delays and costing £250,000.

All homes have solar systems that generate over 95% of the electricity needed for daily use.

The only qualified high-voltage electrician on Pitcairn, who manages the electricity grid, turned 67 in 2020.

Demographics

The islands have had a large drop in population since 1940. The community knows that bringing more people to live there is the most important goal for the future (see § Population decline, below). The government wants to bring in people from other places to help.

Only two children were born on Pitcairn in the 21 years before 2012. Some other children were born to Pitcairn mothers who traveled to New Zealand for better health care during pregnancy and childbirth. In 2005, Shirley and Simon Young became the first married couple who were not originally from Pitcairn to become citizens there.

More than 60% of Pitcairn Islanders are descendants of the Bounty mutineers and Tahitians (or other Polynesians). Pitkern is a language that mixes English from the 18th century with Tahitian words. It is the first language of the people and is taught with English at the island's only school. Pitkern is similar to Norfuk, a language spoken on Norfolk Island, because many Pitcairners moved to Norfolk in the 1800s.

The only church on the island is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This church is not the official religion of the island, as no laws made it the state religion. A church mission in the 1890s helped shape Pitcairn society. In recent years, fewer people attend church regularly. In 2000, eight of the forty islanders attended services often, but most go only on special days. From Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, Pitcairners rest as a sign of respect for the Sabbath.

The church was built in 1954. Sabbath School meets at 10 am on Saturdays, followed by a service an hour later. On Tuesdays, there is a prayer meeting in the evening.

Education is free and required for children aged five to fifteen. Students up to age twelve go to Pulau School, while those thirteen and older attend school in New Zealand or study through correspondence.

The island's children created a book in Pitkern and English called Mi Bas Side orn Pitcairn or My Favourite Place on Pitcairn.

Pulau School teaches preschool and primary education using the New Zealand curriculum. The teacher is chosen by the governor from qualified teachers registered in New Zealand. The government started managing education in 1958, while the Seventh-day Adventist Church did so from the 1890s until 1958. In 1999, there were ten students; earlier numbers were 20 in the 1950s, 28 in 1959, and 36 in 1962. A teacher residence was built in 2004; another was built in 1950.

Pitcairn's population has dropped greatly since the 1930s, when it was over 200 people, to fewer than fifty permanent residents today (2021).

As of April 2021, the total population of the Pitcairn Islands was 47. It is common for some residents to be away from the island for family, medical, or work reasons. A survey in 2014 predicted that by 2045, only three working-age people would remain if no changes happened, with most being very old. Fewer than 10% of those who left the island wanted to return.

In 2014, the labor force had 31 people aged 18 to 64: 17 men and 14 women. Only seven were under 40, while 18 were over 50. Most men do heavy work like operating longboats and maintaining equipment. Longboat crew members retire at 58. At that time, 12 men aged 18 to 58 lived on Pitcairn. Each longboat needs at least three crew members, and two of the four coxswains were in their late 50s.

The Pitcairn government has had some success in attracting migrants. Since 2015, eight people applied to settle there, and three now live on the island. As of 2016, migrants must have at least NZ$30,000 per person in savings and build their own house, which costs about NZ$140,000. Hiring off-island builders costs an extra NZ$23,000 to NZ$28,000. The average yearly cost of living on the island is NZ$9,464. However, migrants must have their status reviewed and approved again after two years.

Freight from Tauranga to Pitcairn on the MV Claymore II (the island's ship) costs NZ$350 per meter for Pitcairners and NZ$1,000 per meter for others. A one-way trip for Pitcairners costs NZ$500, while others pay NZ$5,000.

In 2014, the government's report said no one would move to Pitcairn for work because there are few government jobs, no private jobs, and limited tourism money. Pitcairners take turns hosting the few tourists who visit.

As Pitcairn is a British Overseas Territory, the UK government might one day decide the island's future.

Culture

The old strict rules, which forbade dancing, showing love in public, smoking, and drinking alcohol, are now less strict. Islanders and visitors no longer need a six-month license to buy, bring in, and drink 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 activities for fun. A birthday party or the arrival of a ship or yacht often brings the whole Pitcairn community together for a public dinner in the Square, Adamstown. Tables are covered with many types of food, including fish, meat, chicken, pilhi, baked rice, boiled plun (banana), breadfruit, vegetable dishes, pies, bread, breadsticks, desserts, pineapple, and watermelon.

Paid workers take care of the island’s many roads and paths. As of 2011, the island had a labor force of more than 35 men and women.

Bounty Day is an annual public holiday celebrated on Pitcairn on 23 January. It marks the day in 1790 when the mutineers arrived on the island aboard HMS Bounty.

There is a tennis court on the island. The Pitcairn Islands are the only member of the Pacific Community that does not join the Pacific Games. In 2019, the territory asked the Pacific Games Council about joining the games.

Australian National Rugby League player Dylan Walker’s mother is from Pitcairn.

Media and communications

The UK Postcode for sending mail to Pitcairn Island is PCRN 1ZZ.

The Pitcairn Miscellany is a newspaper published every month in both print and online formats. Dem Tull was an online newsletter that ran from 2007 to 2016.

Pitcairn Island uses New Zealand’s international phone number, +64. The island still uses a manual telephone system.

There is no radio station that broadcasts to the public. People use marine band walkie-talkie radios to communicate across different parts of the island. Shortwave radios can also receive signals from foreign stations.

QRZ.COM, a website that lists amateur radio operators, shows six people on Pitcairn Island using the radio prefix VP6, which is assigned by the UK. Two of these operators also have a second radio call sign, VR6. However, two of the six are listed as deceased, and others are no longer active. The Pitcairn Radio Club has one official call sign, VP6PAC.

QRZ.COM lists 29 total VP6 call signs assigned to people. Twenty of these are given to people who are not living on the island. Five were given to temporary residents, and ten to visitors. The rest were assigned to groups that visited the island for radio events, one of which happened in 2012. Major radio events also took place on Ducie Island in 2008 and 2018.

Pitcairn Island can receive many television channels, but it can only broadcast two channels to homes at one time. These channels are changed regularly. The television signal was set up in 2006.

The island has one satellite internet connection provided by the government. This connection allows people on the island to use the internet. The island’s country code is .pn. Residents pay NZ$120 (about £60) per month for unlimited internet data. In 2012, the island had a single internet link with a speed of 1 Mbit/s, which was shared by all families. By December 2017, a 4G LTE mobile network was built in Adamstown, offering shared speeds of 5 Mbit/s to all residents. In February 2024, Starlink internet service became available.

Transport

All people who settled on Pitcairn Island arrived by boat or ship. Pitcairn Island does not have an airport, airstrip, or seaport. The islanders use longboats to move people and supplies between visiting ships and the shore through Bounty Bay. The rest of the shoreline is difficult to reach because of sharp, jagged rocks. The island has one shallow harbor with a launch ramp that is only accessible by small longboats. In 2014, a medical emergency required a 335 nautical mile (540 km) trip by open boat to the island of Mangareva, followed by an air ambulance flight of 975 nautical miles (1570 km) to Papeete. This effort was organized by medical officials from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and French authorities in Mangareva and Papeete. The British High Commissioner to New Zealand stated, "It can be a dangerous sea trip from Pitcairn to Mangareva, especially for open longboats. 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 ship, the MV Claymore II, was used by the Pitcairn Island government until 2018 to transport supplies from Mangareva in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia. This ship was replaced in 2019 by the MV Silver Supporter.

Totegegie Airport in Mangareva can be reached by air from Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia.

There is one 6.4-kilometre (4 mi) paved road that connects Bounty Bay to Adamstown.

The main ways to travel on Pitcairn Island are by four-wheel drive quad bikes and on foot. Much of the road and track network, as well as some footpaths, on Pitcairn Island can be seen on Google’s Street View.