Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Territorial collectivity of France

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 242 sq km
Land area: 242 sq km
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Note: Includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

120 km

Maritime Claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

Focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France

Climate

Cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain

Mostly barren rock
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%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 4%
Other: 83%

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
International agreements: NA

Note: Vegetation scanty

PEOPLE

Population

6,809 (July 1996 est.) Age Structure

0-14 Years

15-64 Years

65 Years and Over

Population Growth Rate

0.77% (1996 est.)
0.78% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

12.82 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
13.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.83 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

9.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
10.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 76.34 years (1996 est.), 76 years (1995 est.)
Male: 74.76 years (1996 est.), 74.4 years (1995 est.)
Female: 78.25 years (1996 est.), 77.92 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.67 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
Adjective: French

Ethnic Divisions

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%

Languages

French

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1982)

Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99%

Labor Force

2,980 (1994)

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

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

Digraph

Type

Territorial collectivity of France

Capital

Saint-Pierre

Administrative Divisions

None (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence

None (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National Holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal System

French law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by Prefect Rene MAURICE (since NA) who was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior
Head of government: President of the General Council Gerard GRIGNON (since NA April 1994)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

General Council

Elections last held NA April 1994 (next to be held NA April 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total, 15 from Saint Pierre, 4 from Miquelon) Socialist Party (PS) holds majority of seats

French Senate

Elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1

French National Assembly

Elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) UDF 1

Judicial Branch

Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)

Political Parties and Leaders

Socialist Party (PS); Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Union pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF)

Member of

FZ, WFTU

Flag

Saint Pierre and Miquelon's flag: a yellow sailing ship 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 (like the Basque flag); 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

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 the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped steadily over the years. 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. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $68 million (1994 est.), $66 million (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$10,000 (1994 est.)
$10,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

Unemployment Rate

9.6% (1994)
9.6% (1990)

Budget

Revenues: $28 million (1992 est.), $18.3 million (1989 est.)
Expenditures: $28 million, including capital expenditures of $7.8 million (1992 est.), $18.3 million, including capital expenditures of $5.5 million (1989 est.)

Exports

$13.74 million (f.o.b., 1994)
$30 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

Commodities:

Fish and fish products
Fox and mink pelts

Partners:

U.S. 58%
France 17%
U.K. 11%
Canada
Portugal (1990)

Imports

$42 million (c.i.f., 1994)
$82 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)

Commodities:

Meat
Clothing
Fuel
Electrical equipment
Machinery
Building materials

Partners:

Canada
France
U.S.
Netherlands
U.K.

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

Capacity: 10,000 kW
Production: 50 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 6,013 kWh (1993)

Industries

Fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets
Tourism

Agriculture

Vegetables, cattle, sheep, pigs for local consumption; fish catch of 20,500 metric tons (1989)

Economic Aid

Recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $500 million

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 120 km
Paved: 60 km
Unpaved: earth 60 km (1985)

Ports

Saint Pierre

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

3,300 telephones (1992 est.)

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: radio communication with most countries in the world; 1 satellite link in French domestic satellite system

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: NA

Television

Broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of France

History
World Atlas

last modified: 16 november 1997

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