Country name:
conventional long form:
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form:
Pitcairn Islands
etymology:
named after Midshipman Robert PITCAIRN who first sighted the island in 1767
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (Island Council); overseas territory of the UK
Capital:
name:
Adamstown
geographic coordinates:
25 04 S, 130 05 W
time difference:
UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)
Constitution:
several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010
Legal system:
local island by-laws
Citizenship:
see United Kingdom
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal with three years residency
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Laura CLARK (since 25 January 2018)
head of government:
Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Shawn CHRISTIAN (since 9 November 2016)
cabinet:
none
elections/appointments:
the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor directly elected by majority popular vote for a 3-year term; election last held on 9 November 2016 (next to be held not later than December 2019)
election results:
Shawn CHRISTIAN reelected mayor and chairman of the Island Council; Island Council vote - NA
Legislative branch:
description:
unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 4 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 1 nominated by the elected Council members, 2 appointed by the governor, and 3 ex-officio members - the governor, deputy governor, and commissioner; elected members serve 1-year terms)
elections:
last held in November 2017 (next to be held not later than December 2019)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats - 5 independent; composition - men 5, women 5, percent of women 50%
Judicial branch:
highest courts:
Pitcairn Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, 2 judges, and the Supreme Court chief justice, an ex-officio member); Pitcairn Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 judges); note - appeals beyond the Pitcairn Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office:
all judges of both courts appointed by the governor of the Pitcairn Islands on the instructions of the Queen of England through the Secretary of State; all judges can serve until retirement, normally at age 75
subordinate courts:
Magistrate's Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
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 green, yellow, and blue of the shield represents the island rising from the ocean; the green field features a yellow anchor surmounted by a bible (both the anchor and the bible were items found on the HMS Bounty); sitting on the crest is a Pitcairn Island wheelbarrow from which springs a flowering twig of miro (a local plant)
National anthem:
name:
We From Pitcairn Island
lyrics/music:
unknown/Frederick M. LEHMAN
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
