I really, really should be working right now, but while I was looking up Japanese population figures (127 million, by the way), I discovered the Pitcairn Islands and I just had to share some interesting facts:
The Pitcairn Islands are a British dependency in the South Pacific, about midway between Peru and New Zealand, and are the last of such still extant in the region. Only the main island ("Pitcairn") is actually inhabited and it has no port or natural harbor, meaning that supplies have to be shuttled in by longboats from larger ships stationed offshore.
The (estimated) population of Pitcairn is 46 people, the descendants of Bounty mutineers (of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame, I guess) and their Tahitian wives. In addition to the governor, the Island is legislated by an Island Council which seats 10. This means that just shy of 1/4 of the island's population participates in its government.
One of the major sources of island revenue is the sale of postage stamps to collectors.
The islands workforce consists of "15 able-bodied men," four of whom were arrested in October 2004, "putting the economy in a bind."
Ladies and gentlemen... Pitcairn!
Comments (6)
between politicians and arrested men i guess the rate of criminality must be high to say the least :)
Posted by gus | June 6, 2005 12:44 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 12:44
Although it wouldn't surprise me if the percentage was the same for American politicians.
Posted by Brian | June 6, 2005 6:01 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 18:01
I was really, really diappointed that the site didn't list an estimated population breakdown as they do for larger countries. I really wanted to figure out if any of the able-bodied men were also on the council. I bet they are, but you never know.
Posted by Jason | June 6, 2005 7:33 PM
Posted on June 6, 2005 19:33
More fun facts from the CIA factbook:
revenues: $746,000
expenditures: $1.028 million
Economic aid - recipient: $3.465 million (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)
Posted by Erik | June 7, 2005 6:53 AM
Posted on June 7, 2005 06:53
You know, I didn't catch that on my first run-through. Through aid and revenue they take in $4,211,000 a year. They only spend $1,028,000. Now, I'm no economist, but doesn't that mean that they have a $3,183,000 surplus per year?
Divided evenly by 46 people, that comes out to $69,195 per person. That's... wow.
Posted by Jason | June 7, 2005 3:18 PM
Posted on June 7, 2005 15:18
My dad has always had this weird fascination with the Pitcairn Island(s).
Pitcairn: No, we don't have any cherries, peaches, nectarines or plums.
Posted by Bekah | June 9, 2005 6:21 PM
Posted on June 9, 2005 18:21