Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Introduction
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.
Geography
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
country comparison to the world: 213 land:242 sq km
water:0 sq km
note:includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups
Area – comparative
one and half times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
120 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
Climate
cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog
spring and autumn are often 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: 12.5%
permanent crops:0%
other:87.5% (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
Environment – current issues
recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment
Geography – note
vegetation scanty
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective:French
Ethnic groups
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Languages
French (official)
Religions
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Population
5,888 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 228
Age structure
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 518/female 487)
15-64 years:67.1% (male 2,004/female 1,949)
65 years and over:15.8% (male 379/female 551) (2011 est.)
Median age
total: 42.6 years
male:42.2 years
female:43 years (2011 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.968% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 228
Birth rate
8.32 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Death rate
8.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
Net migration rate
-9.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
Urbanization
urban population: 91% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:0.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities – population
SAINT-PIERRE (capital) 5,000 (2009)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.042 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.68 male(s)/female
total population:0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 7.47 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 162 male:8.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female:6.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.87 years
country comparison to the world: 31 male:77.61 years
female:82.26 years (2011 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.55 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS – deaths
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:99%
male:99%
female:99% (1982 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
NA
Government
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 overseas collectivity of France
Government type
NA
Capital
name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates:46 46 N, 56 11 W
time difference:UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins second Sunday in March
ends first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
note – there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes – Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order
Independence
none (territorial collectivity of France
has been under French control since 1763)
National holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system
French civil law
Suffrage
18 years of age
universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007)
represented by Prefect Jean-Regis BORIUS (since 29 October 2009)
head of government:President of the Territorial Council Stephane ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)
cabinet:NA
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
election last held on 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior
president of the Territorial Council elected by the members of the council
Legislative branch
unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon
members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections:elections last held on 19 and 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012)
election results:percent of vote by party – NA
seats by party – AD 16, Cap sur l’Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1
note:Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one member to the French Senate
elections last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014)
results – percent of vote by party – NA
seats by party – UMP 1
Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one member to the French National Assembly
elections last held on, first round – 10 June 2007, second round – 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
results – percent of vote by party – NA
seats by party – PRG 1
Judicial branch
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d’Appel
Political parties and leaders
Archipelago Tomorrow or AD (affiliated with UDF/RPR list)
Cap sur l’Avenir (affiliated with PRG)
Left Radical Party or PRG
Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM
Socialist Party or PS
Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description
a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white, wavy lines under the ship
a continuous black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines
on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle 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 above the other
these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy
the blue on the main portion of the flag symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean and the stylized ship represents the Grande Hermine in which Jacques Cartier “discovered” the islands in 1536
note:the flag of France used for official occasions
National symbol(s)
16th-century sailing ship
National anthem
note: as a collectivity of France, “La Marseillaise” is official (see France)
Economy
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. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$48.3 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222 note:supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million
GDP (official exchange rate)
$NA
GDP – real growth rate
NA%
GDP – per capita (PPP)
$7,000 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
GDP – composition by sector
agriculture: NA%
industry:NA%
services:NA%
Labor force
3,450 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 221
Labor force – by occupation
agriculture: 18%
industry:41%
services:41% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate
10.3% (1999)
country comparison to the world: 113
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%
Budget
revenues: $70 million
expenditures:$60 million (1996 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.1% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 189
Agriculture – products
vegetables
poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs
fish
Industries
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets
tourism
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Electricity – production
53 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity – consumption
49.29 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity – exports
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity – imports
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Oil – production
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Oil – consumption
1,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Oil – exports
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Oil – imports
584 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Oil – proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas – production
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Natural gas – consumption
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas – exports
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas – imports
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Natural gas – proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Exports
$5.5 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Exports – commodities
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts
Imports
$68.2 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
Imports – commodities
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials
Debt – external
$NA
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.755 (2010)
0.7198 (2009)
0.6734 (2008)
0.7345 (2007)
0.7964 (2006)
Transportation
Airports
2 (2010)
country comparison to the world:206
Airports – with paved runways
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2010)
Roadways
total: 117 km
country comparison to the world: 213 paved:80 km
unpaved:37 km (2000)
Ports and terminals
Saint-Pierre
Military
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 1,064
females age 16-49:1,069 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 34
female:32 (2010 est.)
Military – note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes – international
none