| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (territorial collectivity of France) |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates: | 46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references: | North America

Area: | total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Area - comparative: | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: | 0 km

Coastline: | 120 km

Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain: | mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: | fish, deepwater ports

Land use: | arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 4% other: 83% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: | NA sq km

Natural hazards: | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: | NA

Geography - note: | vegetation scanty

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | People | Top of Page

Population: | 6,928 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 25.85% (male 917; female 874) 15-64 years: 64.22% (male 2,273; female 2,176) 65 years and over: 9.93% (male 291; female 397) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 0.43% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 15.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 77.77 years male: 75.51 years female: 80.13 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 2.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Ethnic groups: | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions: | Roman Catholic 99%

Languages: | French

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status: | self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type: | NA

Capital: | Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions: | none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions approved by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon

Independence: | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National holiday: | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Remi THUAU (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Bernard LE SOAVEC (since NA 1996) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 7 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 2002); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council

Legislative branch: | unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held NA April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch: | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: | Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

International organization participation: | FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description: | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

GDP - real growth rate: | NA%

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.1% (1991-96 average)

Labor force: | 3,000 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: | 9.8% (1997)

Budget: | revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Industries: | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: | NA%

Electricity - production: | 40 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 37.2 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports: | $12 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners: | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999)

Imports: | $55 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials

Imports - partners: | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999)

Debt - external: | $NA

Economic aid - recipient: | approximately $65 million in annual grants from France

Currency: | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR)

Currency code: | FRF; EUR

Exchange rates: | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996)

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 0 (1994)

Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: | 4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions: | 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: | .pm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)

Internet users: | NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | 0 km

Highways: | total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | Saint Pierre

Merchant marine: | none (2000 est.)

Airports: | 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Military | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none