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Home ----
Oceania
( P
) ----
Pitcairn Islands
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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National Map
Of |
Pitcairn Islands |
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National Flag
Of |
Pitcairn Islands |
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Flag Description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on
the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow,
green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow
anchor
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Pitcairn Islands |
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National Anthem
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Pitcairn Islands |
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National Anthem Style:
No
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Pitcairn Islands |
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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. |
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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
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 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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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical;
hot and 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% |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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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 |
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Population:
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46 (July
2005 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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-0.01%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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NA |
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Death rate:
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NA |
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Net migration rate:
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NA |
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Sex ratio:
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NA |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA |
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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 |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,
and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands |
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Dependency status:
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overseas
territory of the UK |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Adamstown
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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Independence:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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National holiday:
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Birthday
of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
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Constitution:
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30
November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in
1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance
of 1964 |
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Legal system:
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local
island by-laws |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal with three years residency |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New
Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn
Islands Richard FELL (since NA December 2001);
Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since
September 2003); serves as liaison between the governor
and the Island Council
head of government: Governor Richard FELL; mayor
and chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15
December 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high
commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch;
island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year
term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held
December 2007)
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and
chairman of the Island Council |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by
popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2
appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the
Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner
liaising between the governor and council; elected
members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held 15 December 2004 (next to be
held December 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats -
all independents |
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Judicial branch:
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Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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Flag description:
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blue with
the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer
half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and
light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor |
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Economy - overview:
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The
inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on
fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage
stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide
variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus,
sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans.
Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to
collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.
In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's
labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind,
since their services were required as lighter crew to
load or unload passing ships. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - NA |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
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Labor force:
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15
able-bodied men (2004) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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no
business community in the usual sense; some public
works; subsistence farming and fishing |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA |
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Budget:
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revenues: $746,000
expenditures: $1.028 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (FY04/05) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wide
variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens |
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Industries:
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postage
stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh;
note - electric power is provided by a small
diesel-powered generator |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh
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Exports:
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NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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fruits,
vegetables, curios, stamps |
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Exports - partners:
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NA |
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Imports:
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NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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fuel oil,
machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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NA |
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Debt - external:
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NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$3.465
million (2004) |
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Currency (code):
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New
Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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Currency code:
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NZD |
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Exchange rates:
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New
Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221
(2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April -
31 March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1 (there
are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: satellite phone services
domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
international: country code - 872; satellite
earth station (Inmarsat) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio operators (VP6)
(2004) |
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Radios:
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NA |
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.pn |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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NA |
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Highways:
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total:
6.4 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 6.4 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Adamstown
(on Bounty Bay) |
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Airports:
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none
(2004 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of the UK |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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