Pitcairn Islands

The least populous national jurisdiction in the world and one of the most remote, the Pitcairn Islands are a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the South Pacific. The four islands – Pitcairn proper, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno are scattered across several hundred miles of ocean and have a combined land area of about 47 square kilometers (18 sq mi). Henderson accounts for 86% of the Islands’ land area, but only Pitcairn Island is inhabited.

Today, the Pitcairn Islands can claim approximately 50 permanent inhabitants, originating from four main families. As a direct result of the Islands’ remote location and small permanent population, the Pitcairn Islands enjoy some of the darkest night skies found on Earth.