Island in the Pacific Ocean (the only inhabited one of the Pitcairn Islands group), about halfway from Peru to New Zealand; an overseas territory of the UK. About 50 people live there now; they are descendants of 6 of the mutineers from the Mutiny on the Bounty in 1789, when Master's Mate Fletcher Christian and about half the crew took control of the HMS Bounty, and set the Captain, Lt. William Bligh, adrift in the ship's launch with those crewmembers who remained loyal to him. Several of the mutineers, along with the Tahitian women they'd picked up, found sanctuary on Pitcairn; other mutineers went back to Tahiti and three from Tahiti were taken back to England and hanged. The Pitcairn colony was not rediscovered until 1808.

Pitcairn Island is one of the smallest and most isolated community of individuals in the world. It has a population of 47 situated on a 4.5 sq km island 1,277 km from the nearest settlement (Easter Island). Even polar stations in Antarctica have more people, and space stations are closer to the earth's surface.

Pitcairn Island became a British settlement under the British Settlement Act (1887). From 1952 to 1970 it was administered by the Governor of Fiji, before administration was transferred to the British High Commission in New Zealand. To assist the Governor there is a Commissioner based in Auckland. Locally there is a mayor on the island, and a council of ten members (six of whom are elected).

The islanders are unhappy that they have been abandoned by London. Despite the island having its own flag, newspaper, internet country code (.pn), stamps, phonecards and language (Pitkern), there is precious little infrastructure. Yup - No airport. No industry (aside from marginal farming and handicrafts). Just one flush toilet. And amazingly there is still no harbour - people have to be taken by boat to ships moored at sea, which come only a few times a year. In lieu of taxation, people aged 15 to 65 are required to donate their labour to community service.

A recent criminal case involving sex crimes with under age girls required the intervention Scotland Yard and the establishment of a special court on the island (it is impossible to form a local jury guaranteed to be impartial since everyone knows everybody else). Several defendants have argued about the validity of British law on their island.

Who's Who on Pitcairn Island

This isolated community of decendants of the Bounty mutiny, has out of necessity become quite multi-skilled, although one wonders the necessity of two postal workers when mail only comes from a passing ship a few times a year.

Below is the entire resident population of Pitcairn Island:

BROWN, Ariel:              Schoolgirl 
BROWN, David Snr:          Works chairman
BROWN, David Jnr:          Mowing contractor and tractor driver
BROWN, Lea:                Typist
BROWN, Len:                Retired
BURGOYNE, Jenny:           Nurse (non-islander) 
BURGOYNE, Lyle:            Pastor (non-islander)
BURGOYNE, Sarah:           Schoolgirl (non-islander)
CHRISTIAN, Andrew:         Currently studying IT in New Zealand
CHRISTIAN, Bradley:        Infant 
CHRISTIAN, Dennis:         Postmaster 
CHRISTIAN, Emily:          Infant (born on Pitcairn Island in 2003) 
CHRISTIAN, Irma:           Retired
CHRISTIAN, Nadine:         Treasurer of Pitcairn Island
CHRISTIAN, Olive:          Roadperson
CHRISTIAN, Randall:        Chairman of Pitcairn Island council and engineer 
CHRISTIAN, Steven:         Magistrate and engineer
CHRISTIAN, Thomas:         Unemployed
CHRISTIAN, Verna:          Retired
GRIFFITHS, Darralyn:       Keeper of the gravesite of John Adams
GRIFFITHS, Turi:           Landing assistant
LUPTON-CHRISTIAN, Brenda:  Councillor and policewoman
LUPTON-CHRISTIAN, Mike:    Retired
MAPLE, Mary:               New Zealander Teacher (non-islander)
PEU, Wayne:                Electrician
PRICHARD, Grant:           Representative of the Governor
PRICHARD, Tana:            Wife of the Representative of the Governor
WARREN, Carol:             Councillor and cemetery keeper
WARREN, Charlene:          Post office assistant
WARREN, Daphene:           Retired
WARREN, Jacob:             Retired
WARREN, Jason:             Schoolboy
WARREN, Jay:               Head of the Department of Conservation
WARREN, Mason:             Schoolboy
WARREN, Mavis:             Unemployed
WARREN, Meralda:           Medical assistant
WARREN, Michael:           Radio technician
WARREN, Nola:              School custodian and culture teacher
WARREN, Pania:             Schoolgirl
WARREN, Pawl:              Post office assistant and assistant worksman.
WARREN, Ralph:             Schoolboy
WARREN, Reynold:           Retired
WARREN, Royal:             Retired
WARREN-PEU, Jayden:        Infant
WARREN-PEU, Kimiora:       Infant
WARREN-PEU, Ralph:         Schoolboy
WARREN-PEU, Torika:        Infant
WILLIAMS, Josh:            Schoolboy
YOUNG, Carlyle:            Electrician and tractor driver
YOUNG, Timothy:            Unemployed
  

As mentioned, the Governor concurrently serves as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, and resides in Wellington. There is also a team of two Scotland Yard detectives and two British social workers, investigating allegations of sexual assult on the island.

ref:
http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/pitcairn/population.shtml
http://www.lareau.org/pitcres.html
Details current for August 2004