You think you get rock fever living in Bermuda?

Try moving to an island with a population of less than 50 people. The Pitcairn Islands, in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Peru and New Zealand, has a total population that isn't much larger than Bermuda's House of Assembly.

And according to the online CIA World Factbook, the labour force on the islands numbers "12 able-bodied men (1997)".

First settled in 1790 by nine of the mutineers of the HMS Bounty - one of the most famous sea stories of all time - and 12 Tahitian men and women, the Pitcairn Islands were represented at the recent UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum held in Bermuda by Jay Warren.

Mr. Warren, who said the main island of Pitcairn was two miles long by one mile wide, said all travelling to and from the island has to be done by boat.

"But we don't go off very often unless it's for medical purposes or a special occasion like this," he added.

Having left the island himself six times in his life, Mr. Warren agreed it was often a bit of a culture shock to travel to other countries. As for visitors to the island, he said: "There are not very many, but we have a few."

The main source of revenue for the islanders is the sale of postage stamps, he added. The pictures on the stamps are all connected with the islands in some way, although sometimes there are special issues such as a Queen Mother stamp.

And with no political parties on the island, the Islanders are governed by a mayor - or, as Mr. Warren termed it: "the Chief Islander".

Mr. Warren said although the Islanders do grow their own vegetables and some fruit, they - like Bermudians - have to import just about everything else.

He said he was at the conference with hopes of gaining some ideas for controlling invasive plants and trees, as well as simply enjoying the learning opportunity.

And it seems he is taking full advantage of the great distance he has travelled to attend the conference. On his way home, Mr. Warren plans to visit London, the UK and Africa, before finally reaching Pitcairn again sometime in the middle of April.