|
|
|
       
| |
|
|
Pitcairn Islands:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other pages in this profile of the Pitcairn Islands:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
| |
Background |
Definition Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today. |
| |
Location |
Definition Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand |
Geographic coordinates |
Definition 25 04 S, 130 06 W |
Map references |
Definition Oceania |
Area |
Definition - World rank and map total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative |
Definition about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries |
Definition 0 km |
Coastline |
Definition 51 km |
Maritime claims |
Definition territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate |
Definition tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March) |
Terrain |
Definition rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs |
Elevation extremes |
Definition lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m |
Natural resources |
Definition miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore |
Land use |
Definition - World rank and map arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA |
Irrigated land |
Definition NA |
Natural hazards |
Definition typhoons (especially November to March) |
Environment - current issues |
Definition deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement) |
Geography - note |
Definition Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore |
|
Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |