Demographics of the Pitcairn Islands
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of the Pitcairn Islands
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Estimates of the population of the Pitcairn Islands
range from 46 to 48, and beyond this point it is difficult to keep accurate statistics on such points as age structure due to the remoteness of the settlement. The annual growth rate of Pitcairn Islands is 0.00%.
All native Pitcairn residents are descended from the mutineers on the Bounty, a fact reflected in the surnames of many of the families - Christian being an obvious descendant from Fletcher Christian
. Islanders are of mixed Caucasian and Polynesia
n stock, as the mutineers took wives and lovers from the Tahiti
an natives they had previously encountered. There is a high degree of inter-relation among the population.
Many islanders are also members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
and tend to a somewhat puritanical attitude. Officially, public displays of affection and public consumption of alcohol
are forbidden. In practice, consumption of alcohol is sanctioned by the administration of the island, especially when cruise ships anchor offshore.
Due to a lack of educational facilities on the island, children of school age are sent to boarding school
s either in New Zealand
or Australia
. As a result of this, many elect not to return to the island, with a memorable description of the island from an ex-resident being "A rural slum
". This drain on the population has resulted in the labour force of the island being estimated (by the CIA World Factbook) at 15 able-bodied men in 2004.
Pitcairn residents derive their income from barter
with passing ships and a form of welfare payment for manual labour on the island. An important lifeline to the rest of the world is the long-boat, sailed from Bounty Bay to meet any liners or cargo ships nearby. These boats are operated by the Christian family, the family of the ex-mayor of the island.
Islanders have considerable links to the Norfolk Island
community, with many having families there. This is due to the historical attempts to re-settle the islanders on Norfolk, attempts which were successful in the most part. There is also a small community of Pitcairn expatriates in both New Zealand and Australia. Remittances from these communities constitute another aspect of Pitcairn's income.
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of the Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Estimates of the population of the Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
range from 46 to 48, and beyond this point it is difficult to keep accurate statistics on such points as age structure due to the remoteness of the settlement. The annual growth rate of Pitcairn Islands is 0.00%.
All native Pitcairn residents are descended from the mutineers on the Bounty, a fact reflected in the surnames of many of the families - Christian being an obvious descendant from Fletcher Christian
Fletcher Christian
Fletcher Christian was a master's mate on board the Bounty during William Bligh's fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants...
. Islanders are of mixed Caucasian and Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
n stock, as the mutineers took wives and lovers from the Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
an natives they had previously encountered. There is a high degree of inter-relation among the population.
Many islanders are also members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
and tend to a somewhat puritanical attitude. Officially, public displays of affection and public consumption of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
are forbidden. In practice, consumption of alcohol is sanctioned by the administration of the island, especially when cruise ships anchor offshore.
Due to a lack of educational facilities on the island, children of school age are sent to boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s either in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
or Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. As a result of this, many elect not to return to the island, with a memorable description of the island from an ex-resident being "A rural slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
". This drain on the population has resulted in the labour force of the island being estimated (by the CIA World Factbook) at 15 able-bodied men in 2004.
Pitcairn residents derive their income from barter
Barter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a...
with passing ships and a form of welfare payment for manual labour on the island. An important lifeline to the rest of the world is the long-boat, sailed from Bounty Bay to meet any liners or cargo ships nearby. These boats are operated by the Christian family, the family of the ex-mayor of the island.
Islanders have considerable links to the Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
community, with many having families there. This is due to the historical attempts to re-settle the islanders on Norfolk, attempts which were successful in the most part. There is also a small community of Pitcairn expatriates in both New Zealand and Australia. Remittances from these communities constitute another aspect of Pitcairn's income.