English
Español
中文
हिन्दी
FrançaisGovernment and Politics
Government and Politics of Pitcairn Islands
Government structure, leadership, capital, military, and national symbols of Pitcairn Islands.
Government Structure
Constitutional foundations, branches, parties, and leadership.
- Government Type
- NA
- Administrative Divisions
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- Legal System
- local island by-laws
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
- Citizenship
- see United Kingdom
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand, who also serves as Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands; the Governor serves as the representative of the Crown and holds executive authority over the island head of government: Governor (nonresident) based in Wellington, New Zealand; Mayor Shawn CHRISTIAN serves as head of the Island Council and the primary on-island administrator cabinet: no formal cabinet; the Island Council functions as the primary governing body, consisting of elected and appointed members who handle local affairs elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the UK High Commissioner to New Zealand is appointed by the Crown and serves concurrently as Governor of Pitcairn Islands; the island mayor is elected by popular vote for a three-year term election results: Shawn CHRISTIAN has served as Mayor of Pitcairn Islands; Island Council elections are held periodically with all eligible residents of Pitcairn participating in the vote
- Legislative Branch
- 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 in 24 December 2005 (next to be held December 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
- Judicial Branch
- Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor
- Political Parties
- none
- Head of State
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Head of Government
- Governor George Fergusson
- Elections
- the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held in December 2007 (next to be held in December 2010)
- Election Results
- Mike WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
- Constitution
- 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
- Independence
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- National Holiday
- Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
- International Organization Participation
- none
- Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
- U.S. Diplomatic Representation
- none (overseas territory of the UK)
Capital City
Seat of government and political history.
- Capital City
- Adamstown
- Location
- 25 04 S, 130 05 W
- Time Difference
- UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- History
- named after John ADAMS (1767–1829), the last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island in January 1790
National Symbols
Flag, anthem, and other symbols of national identity.
