NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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25 04 S, 130 06 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 47 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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51 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical, hot, humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March) |
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Terrain:
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rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m |
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Natural resources:
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miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore |
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Land use:
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arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons (especially November to March) |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement) |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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47 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
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Population growth rate:
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-1.32% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA births/1,000 population |
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Death rate:
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NA deaths/1,000 population |
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Net migration rate:
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NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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NA deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA children born/woman |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives |
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Religions:
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Seventh-Day Adventist 100% |
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Languages:
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English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect) |
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Literacy:
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NA |