Courtesy: Destinations + Places

I have always found the PitcairnIslands to be very fascinating. With just 50 residents, the territory is the least populous place in the world and I was really excited to visit a ‘nation’ where one can personally meet all the ‘citizens’. Officially called the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and OenoIslands, the archipelago is an oversea territory that belongs to Britain. Unlike many of the other islands in the Pacific region, which are coral islands, the Pitcairns are volcanic in nature.

It is interesting to know that of all the four volcanic islands, only one of them is inhabited, and that is Pitcairn. What I find most fascinating about the Pitcairn Islands is that some of the earlier inhabitants were the mutineers of the infamous ship, Bounty. For anyone who has read the mutiny of the Bounty, you will find Pitcairn Islands most interesting, especially with its few families who bear the names of the old sailors and mariners of the Bounty. Pitcairn became the first island in the Pacific to be colonized by the British Empire and today, it is the last British colony in the region.

If you are thinking that the PitcairnIslands is going to be desolate and boring because of its incredible population, then you are wrong. Each of the four islands is a fantastic site of tourist attraction. Pitcairn itself is a collection of nice villages and there are historic buildings in Adamstown, which is the administrative center of the territory.

Although Pitcairn Island contains all the population, the largest of the group is Henderson Island and has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and one thing I did not miss was to tour the islands to see some of the most beautiful birds in the Pacific. The remaining islands (Oeno and Ducie) are also nice places for bird watching. In the BountyBay, you can also see the wreckage of the Bounty and there is a museum in Adamstown that is dedicated to the ship. On the islands, you will surely enjoy collecting stamps and buying souvenirs.

Understandably, many of the local dishes are made from seafood –fresh fish, lobsters, crabs, prawns, shellfish, shrimps and tuna. On the island, the locals enjoy fried seafood and it is nice if you can try a piece or two. Fruits and vegetables are also consumed on Pitcairn and these include breadfruit, bananas, oranges and pineapples. Others are tomatoes, potatoes and melons. Expectedly, other foods (especially beef and pork) are imported from Australia or other islands in the region.

Being a community of Seventh Day Adventists, religion is an integral part of this small society and consumption of alcohol is not really encouraged. As a matter of fact, the ban on alcohol was only recently lifted but even at that, it will be nice not to offend your nice hosts by guzzling booze all the time. On the other hand, fresh fruit juices are available.

With just around 50 inhabitants, this is the least populated jurisdiction on the planet! Just 50 people, and that means you can be friends with everyone!
Only one of the islands (Pitcairn) is permanently inhabited. is permanently inhabited.
You can actually gain access to the Internet while staying on the island using the local connections.

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Adebayo Ahmed Adebola (Ilorin, Nigeria).