Pitcairn Islands

The **Pitcairn Islands** are a group of islands in the southern Pacific. People only live on the second-largest of the four islands. That island is named _Pitcairn_. It is governed by the United Kingdom. It has the smallest number of people of any sovereign state. In 2019, 50 people lived there.

The islands are best known as home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and the Tahitians (or Polynesians) who accompanied them, an event retold in numerous books and films. This history still shows in the surnames of many of the islanders.

## History

Originally people from Polynesia lived on the Pitcairn Islands, but there was no one living on the islands when they were discovered (found) by Captain Philip Carteret of _H.M.S. Swallow_ on 2 July 1767. The island was named after Robert Pitcairn, a 15 year old midshipman who was the first person on the _Swallow_ to see it. Robert is believed to have been lost at sea in early 1770 when the ship he was on, _HMS Aurora,_ went missing in the Indian Ocean.

### Recent sex crimes

In 2004 charges were laid against seven men living on Pitcairn and six living abroad with sex-related offences dating back a number of years. On 25 October 2004, six men were convicted, including the island's mayor at the time. After the six men lost their final appeal, the British government set up a prison on the island at Bob's Valley. The men began serving their sentences in late 2006, as of 2010 all men have served their sentences or been granted home detention status (Pitcairn News, 2010).

In 2010 the island received a new and updated constitution.

## Currency

While the Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory, the islands use the New Zealand dollar, not pound sterling. The US dollar is also used.

## Related pages

- Mutiny on the Bounty

## Infobox (dependency)

- **name**: Pitcairn Islands
- **settlement type**: British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory
- **official name**: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
- **linking name**: the Pitcairn Islands
- **image flag**: Flag of the Pitcairn Islands.svg
- **flag size**: 130
- **flag link**: Flag of the Pitcairn Islands
- **image seal**: Coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands.svg
- **seal size**: 70
- **seal type**: Coat of arms
- **seal link**: Coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands
- **anthem**: "God Save the King"
<div
style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;"></div>
- **song type**: Local anthem
- **song**: "Pitcairn Anthem, Come Ye Blessed"
- **image map**: Pitcairn Islands in United Kingdom.svg
- **map caption**: Map showing location of the Pitcairn Islands (circled at the lower-right and magnified in an inset)
- **mapsize**: 255px
- **subdivision type**: Sovereign state
- **established title2**: Mutiny on the Bounty#Settlement, Settlement
- **established date2**: 15 January 1790
- **established title3**: British colony
- **established date3**: 30 November 1838
- **capital**: Adamstown, Pitcairn Islands, Adamstown
- **largest settlement**: capital
- **largest settlement type**: largest settlement
- **ethnic groups**: Pitcairn Islanders
- **government type**: Devolution, Devolved Local government, locally governing Dependent territory, dependency
- **leader title1**: Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Monarch
- **leader name1**: Charles III
- **leader title2**: Governor of the Pitcairn Islands, Governor
- **leader name2**: Iona Thomas
- **leader title3**: Administrator of the Pitcairn Islands, Administrator
- **leader name3**: Steve Townsend
- **leader title4**: List of rulers of the Pitcairn Islands, Mayor
- **leader name4**: Simon Young (mayor), Simon Young
- **legislature**: Island Council (Pitcairn), Island Council
- **national representation**: Government of the United Kingdom
- **national representation type1**: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Americas and Caribbean, Minister
- **national representation1**: David Rutley
- **area km2**: 47
- **area rank**: not ranked
- **area sq mi**: 18.1
- **elevation max m**: 330
- **population estimate**: 47
- **population estimate year**: 2021
- **population estimate rank**: last
- **population density km2**: 1
- **population density sq mi**: 2.59
- **population density rank**: not ranked
- **gdp nominal**: NZ$217,000
- **gdp nominal year**: 2005
- **gdp nominal per capita**: NZ$4,617.02
- **currency**: New Zealand dollar (NZ$)
- **currency code**: NZD
- **utc offset**: -08:00
- **drives on**: left
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in New Zealand, +64
- **postal code type**: Postal codes in the Pitcairn Islands, UK postcode
- **postal code**: PCRN 1ZZ
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:PN, PN
- **cctld**: .pn
- **website**: [https://www.government.pn www.government.pn]