PITCAIRN ISLANDS                                                                
(dependent territory of the UK)                                                 
GEOGRAPHY                                                                       
Total area: 47 km2; land area: 47 km2                                           
                                                                                
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC                    
                                                                                
Land boundaries: none                                                           
                                                                                
Coastline: 51 km                                                                
                                                                                
Maritime claims:                                                                
                                                                                
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;                                                 
                                                                                
Territorial sea: 3 nm                                                           
                                                                                
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%                                
                                                                                
Environment: subject to typhoons (especially November to March)                 
                                                                                
Note: located in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between                  
Peru and New Zealand                                                            
                                                                                
PEOPLE                                                                          
Population: 56 (July 1991), growth rate 0.0% (1991)                             
                                                                                
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)                                   
                                                                                
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)                                   
                                                                                
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)                         
                                                                                
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)                       
                                                                                
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)                 
                                                                                
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)                             
                                                                                
Nationality: noun--Pitcairn Islander(s); adjective--Pitcairn                    
Islander                                                                        
                                                                                
Ethnic divisions: descendants of Bounty mutineers                               
                                                                                
Religion: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%                                            
                                                                                
Language: English (official); also a Tahitian/English dialect                   
                                                                                
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)                                            
                                                                                
Labor force: NA; no business community in the usual sense; some                 
public works; subsistence farming and fishing                                   
                                                                                
Organized labor: NA                                                             
                                                                                
GOVERNMENT                                                                      
Long-form name: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands                    
                                                                                
Type: dependent territory of the UK                                             
                                                                                
Capital: Adamstown                                                              
                                                                                
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)                  
                                                                                
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)                              
                                                                                
Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964                                
                                                                                
Legal system: local island by-laws                                              
                                                                                
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second              
Saturday in June), 10 June 1989                                                 
                                                                                
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, island magistrate                  
                                                                                
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council                                   
                                                                                
Judicial branch: Island Court                                                   
                                                                                
Leaders:                                                                        
                                                                                
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),                     
represented by the Governor and UK High Commissioner to New Zealand             
David Joseph MOSS (since NA 1990);                                              
Head of Government--Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island                
Council Brian YOUNG (since NA 1985)                                             
                                                                                
Political parties and leaders: NA                                               
                                                                                
Suffrage: universal at age 18 with three years residency                        
                                                                                
Elections:                                                                      
                                                                                
Island Council--last held NA (next to be held NA);                              
results--percent of vote by party NA;                                           
seats--(11 total, 5 elected) number of seats by party NA                        
                                                                                
Communists: none                                                                
                                                                                
Other political or pressure groups: NA                                          
                                                                                
Member of: SPC                                                                  
                                                                                
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.                                                   
                                                                                
GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%                                  
                                                                                
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%                                           
                                                                                
Unemployment rate: NA%                                                          
                                                                                
Budget: revenues $430,440; expenditures $429,983, including capital             
expenditures of $NA (FY87 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: 110 kW capacity; 0.30 million kWh produced,                        
5,360 kWh per capita (1990)                                                     
                                                                                
Industries: postage stamp sales, handicrafts                                    
                                                                                
Agriculture: based on subsistence fishing and farming; wide variety             
of fruits and vegetables grown; must import grain products                      
                                                                                
Economic aid: none                                                              
                                                                                
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars);                                 
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents                                          
                                                                                
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6798                      
(January 1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6866             
(1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)                                            
                                                                                
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March                                                   
                                                                                
COMMUNICATIONS                                                                  
Railroads: none                                                                 
                                                                                
Highways: 6.4 km dirt roads                                                     
                                                                                
Ports: Bounty Bay                                                               
                                                                                
Airports: none                                                                  
                                                                                
Telecommunications: 24 telephones; party line telephone service                 
on the island; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; diesel generator provides          
electricity                                                                     
                                                                                
DEFENSE FORCES                                                                  
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK                                   
                                                                                
