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- Pitcairn and Dependencies
- possession of United Kingdom
- own name: Pitcairn and Dependencies
• Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms
• Map
• Numbers and Facts
• History
• Origin of the Country's Name
since 1838,
Union Flag → quasi national flag,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
since 1864,
Merchant flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
since 1984,
National and state flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
Pitcairn came to United Kingdom in 1838. From this point in time onwards,
individuals, citizens and also the authorities represented their status as
citizens or organs of the British nation, embodied in the United Kingdom,
through the use of the Union Jack, then called the "Union Flag". At sea, the
British merchant flag, the Red Ensign, was intended for British citizens from
1864. In a few cases, the citizens of a colony were authorised by the Admiralty
to use their own Red Ensign with the colony's badge at sea.
This means
that the Union Flag is the actual national and state flag on land. On the
Pitcairn Islands, the "Blue Ensign" (the actual state flag at sea) with the
country's insignia may also be used as the national flag for decorative purposes
since 1984, if the governor has authorised this, and for a limited period of
time, e.g. at an event (including outside the country) or for differentiation,
if the use of the Union flag would be inappropriate or could cause confusion. On
land, however, the aspect ratio of the flag should be 3:5. A "Blue Ensign" is a
dark blue bunting with a flag representation – the British Union Jack – in the
upper corner and the country's badge in the flying end of the flag, with the
Union Jack indicating the links to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom
introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign"
(naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross
and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant
ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real
merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of
the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by
the gouvernment → the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the
upper staff quadrant of the flag.
From 1865, the ships of the colonial
governments were allowed to use a Blue Ensign with a badge at the flying end.
The respective governments were to provide appropriate badges. Merchant ships
and seafaring privateers from colonies were only allowed to use a Red Ensign
with a badge if the British Admiralty had issued a corresponding licence for
that colony.
Such a badge was often a regional landscape depiction on a
disc, often showed ships, historical events or could simply be a kind of logo.
Very often a badge also contained the name of the country or a motto. However,
some possessions had a coat of arms from the beginning or were given their own
coat of arms over the years and the badge was abolished. To ensure a largely
uniform appearance in the flying end of the flags, coats of arms and other
symbols were displayed on a white disc in the size of the former badges.
However, there were also exceptions, as some colonies dispensed with this white
disc and placed their coat of arms or even just the shield – sometimes enlarged
– directly on the bunting. As early as the 1940s, the white disc was removed and
the coat of arms was applied directly or enlarged. This conversion process took
place gradually, nowhere simultaneously and completely. In some British
possessions flags with the white disc are still in use today, in others no
longer and in some areas both variants exist side by side.
In 1984, an
own "Blue Ensign" was introduced as the state flag at sea, a dark blue bunting
with a flag representation – the British Union Jack – in the upper corner (it
indicates the connections to United Kingdom), which shows the coat of arms in an
enlarged representation in the flying end of the flag. As Pitcairn follows the
British ensign and colour system, the colours of the flag correspond to the
spectrum given by the British Ministry of Defence in its publication "Flags of
all Nations" (a service regulation) for the following colours: Blue = pt 180 c,
Red = pt 186 c, Deep Yellow = pt 116 c, Green = pt 364 c, Azure = pt 549 c.
The Governor's flag is a standard design of older style, for all Governors,
Lieutenant-Governors, Commissioners, High Commissioners and other officials
holding a corresponding administrative office, provided that no newer design is
used. Within the wreath is always the appropriate badge or coat of arms. The
Governor of Pitcairn is the British High Commissioner of New Zealand.
Source: Flags of the World,
Die Welt der Flaggen,
Flaggen Enzyklopädie
Coat of arms of Pitcairn,
Source, by:
Flags of the World
The coat of arms was awarded to the island on the 4th of November in 1969. The blazon shows a green point with a golden border on blue ground. It should symbolize Pitcairn Island which protrudes as a precipitous rock out of the ocean. In the green point are placed an anchor (the anchor of the "Bounty") and a book (the bible of the "Bounty"). The blazon is surrounded by an abundant helmet decoration in the colours gold and green. On the helmet a handbarrow (memory to the first settlers) with a "Portia Tree" (Thespesia populnea). It is important for the folkloreistic wood carvings of the islanders.
Source: Wikipedia (EN),
Flaggen Enzyklopädie
Location:
Source: CIA World Factbook
Map of the country:
Source: CIA World Factbook
Area: 18,5 square miles, thereof Pitcairn 1,73 sq.mi.,
and the Dependencies:
Henderson 12,35 sq.mi., uninhabited,
Atoll of Ducie 2,5 sq.mi., uninhabited,
1,93 sq.mi., uninhabited
Inhabitants (only on Pitcairn): 47 (2021)
Density of Population (only Pitcairn): 27 inh./sq.mi.
Main Place: Adamstown
Seat of Administration: Auckland (New Zealand)
official Languages: Pitkern, English
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) = 100 Cents
Time Zone: GMT – 8 h
Source: Wikipedia (DE),
Wikipedia (EN)
Pitcairn
Middle Ages · settlement by Polynesians, but probably not permanent inhabited and soon abandoned
2nd of July 1767 · the British seafarer Philip Carteret discoveres the island, and names it by his Ensign Robert Pitcairn which spoted the island as first, the position was calculated with mistakes and the island was not to find again anymore
15th of January 1790 · the mutineers of the "Bounty" find accidentally the forgotten island, land on it and establish a smallholding with natives from Tahiti
1808 · the US-American seafarer and whaler Mathew Folger discovers as first the mutineers of the "Bounty", from its initial crew is only John Adams still alive
17th of September 1814 · arrival of two British warships, after view of the small and peaceful community they returned without having achieved anything
1823 · one new European settler settles on Pitcairn
1828 · one further new European settler settles on Pitcairn
1831 · all inhabitants of Pitcairn become relocated to Tahiti, several death by diseases under the Pitcairn-Islanders
September 1831 · 65 Pitcairn-Islanders return to their island
30th of November 1838 · the Pitcairn-Islanders sign the constitution of the island on board of the British whaling-ship Fly, the island becomes in this way indeed a British colony but is also subordinated under the protection of the British Empire
1845 · Pitcairn has 156 inhabitants
1856 · Pitcairn has 194 inhabitants
8th of June 1856 · because of feared famines the Pitcairn-Islanders become relocated to the Norfolk Island (hereafter they become named "Islanders")
1858 · 16 Pitcairn-Islanders return from Norfolk to their island
1864 · four further families of Pitcairn-Islanders return from Norfolk to their island
Second World War · the British navy stations radio-observers
2004 · "Pitcairn Rape Process", the half of all men of the island becomes convicted as guilty, the sentence is however postponed because the existence of the island's community is in danger
Henderson
Middle Ages · settlement by Polynesians, but probably not permanent inhabited and soon abandoned
29th of January 1606 · the Portugese seafarer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros discovers the island and names it "San Juan Bautista", but its position fell into oblivion
17th of january 1819 · the British seafarer James Henderson discovers the island again, the island gets his name
1820–1821 · shipwrecked people of the US-American whaler "Essex" live more then 100 days on the island
ca. 1890–1910 · attempts for phosphate-mining
1902 · Henderson Island becomes officially appropriated by United Kingdom and incorporated into the British Empire together with Oeno Island and the Atoll of Ducie
Oeno
1819 · the British seafarer James Henderson discovers the island
26th of January 1824 · the US-American seafarer and whaler George B. Worth land with his ship "Oeno" on the island, the island gets its name from the ship
1858 · shipwrecked people of the US-American ship "Wild Wave" live more then 200 days on the island
1902 · Oeno Island becomes officially appropriated by United Kingdom and incorporated into the British Empire together with Henderson Island and the Atoll of Ducie
Atoll of Ducie
(consisting of Acadia Island, Westward Island, Pandora Island and Edwards Island)
1606 · the Portugese seafarer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros discovers the atoll and names it "Encarnacion" (by other sources "Luna Puesta"), but its position fell into oblivion
1791 · the British seafarer Edward Edwards with his ship "Pandora" discovers during the search for the mutineers of the "Bounty" the atoll again, he names the islands by Thomas Moreton Reynolds the 2nd Lord Ducie of Tortworth
1881 · shipwrecked people of the British ship "Acadia" land momentary on those island which since then is called by the name of that ship
1902 · the Atoll of Ducie becomes officially appropriated by United Kingdom and incorporated into the British Empire together with the Islands of Henderson und Oeno
Source: Wikipedia DB Sonderband, Frühjahr 2005
The name "Pitcairn" has its roots in the Ensign Robert Pitcairn from the sloop "Swallow" under the command of Captain Philip Carteret. Robert Pitcairn spoted the island as the first. He descented from an in Scotland living merchant's family which originally came from Memel in East Prussia.
Source: Wikipedia DB Sonderband, Frühjahr 2005
