Edition 2007 — Saint Pierre and Miquelon

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 843/female 807) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,342/female 2,272) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 348/female 414) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Airports

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Area

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

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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 Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Birth rate

13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

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

Capital

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W
name: Saint-Pierre
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

120 km

Constitution

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

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

Currency (code)

euro (EUR)

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Dependency status

self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

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. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.

Electricity - consumption

46.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

50 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Ethnic groups

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet: NA
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 2007); 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
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA)

Exports

$5.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners

Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Flag description

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; 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 flag of France is used for official occasions Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$48.3 million
note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.)

Geographic coordinates

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Geography - note

vegetation scanty People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Government type

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$68.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials

Imports - partners

France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Infant mortality rate

female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (1991-96 average)

International organization participation

UPU, WFTU

Internet country code

.pm

Internet hosts

0 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Labor force

3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 18%
industry: 41%
services: 41% (1996 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 12.5%
other: 87.5% (2005)
permanent crops: 0%

Languages

French (official)

Legal system

French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation

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)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held in April 2006)
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Life expectancy at birth

female: 81.06 years (2006 est.)
male: 76.27 years
total population: 78.61 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 99% (1982 est.) Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon
male: 99%
total population: 99%

Location

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

Map references

North America

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Median age

female: 34.5 years (2006 est.)
male: 33.7 years
total: 34.1 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Nationality

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

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Net migration rate

-4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

7,026 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.17% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Saint-Pierre Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

4,000 (1997)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic: NA
general assessment: adequate
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Telephones - main lines in use

4,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions