Pitcairn Island
Satellite image | |
Pitcairn Island Location of Pitcairn Island | |
Interactive map of Pitcairn Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 25°04′00″S 130°06′24″W / 25.06667°S 130.10667°W |
| Archipelago | Pitcairn Islands |
| Area | 4.5 km2 (1.7 sq mi) |
| Length | 3.5 km (2.17 mi) |
| Width | 1.8 km (1.12 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 346 m (1135 ft) |
| Highest point | Pawala Valley Ridge |
| Administration | |
United Kingdom | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 40 (2024) |
| Pop. density | 10/km2 (30/sq mi) |
Pitcairn Island is the only inhabited island of the Pitcairn Islands, in the southern Pacific Ocean, of which many of the 40 inhabitants are descendants of mutineers of HMS Bounty.[1]
Geography
The island is of volcanic origin, with a rugged cliff coastline. Unlike many other South Pacific islands, it is not surrounded by coral reefs that protect the coast. The only access to the island is via a small pier on Bounty Bay. Adamstown is the sole settlement.
Pawala Valley Ridge is the island's highest point at 346 m (1,135 ft) above sea level.
The volcanic soil and tropical climate with abundant rainfall make the soil productive.
The average temperature ranges from 19 to 24 °C (66 to 75 °F). The annual rainfall is 1,800 mm (71 in).
Fauna
Indigenous fauna consists of insects and lizards. Since their introduction, rats have become an invasive species.
A large number of seabirds nest along the steep shorelines.[2]
As coral reefs are absent, fishing is offshore. Sharks, sea bream, barracuda, and tuna are all abundant. Whale migrations are seen yearly.
Flora
The island is home to many plants, particularly Abutilon pitcairnense, which was native there but is now extinct in the wild.
See also
- History of the Pitcairn Islands
- Mutiny on the Bounty
- In the Wake of the Bounty (1933 film)[3]
- Pitcairn Radio Station
References
- ^ Johnson, Christine (2014). "The Identity of Place: Pitcairn Island in Cultural and Historical Geography". University of Nevada, Reno. hdl:11714/2838. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Albert, Donald Patrick (3 July 2018). "Did or Could Seabirds "Halo" Pitcairn Island for Fletcher Christian?". Terrae Incognitae. 50 (2): 99–114. doi:10.1080/00822884.2018.1498638. ISSN 0082-2884.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (10 December 2025). "Forgotten Australian Films: In the Wake of the Bounty". Filmink. Archived from the original on 20 February 2026. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
External links
Media related to Pitcairn Island at Wikimedia Commons