Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues
Introduction	Back To Top
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	Back To Top
Land boundaries: 0 km Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy Map references: North America Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 W Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m Terrain: mostly barren rock Geography - note: vegetation scanty 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 Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) Coastline: 120 km Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Irrigated land: NA Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Land use: arable land: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005)
People	Back To Top
Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2008 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.91 years male: 76.55 years female: 81.4 years (2008 est.) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) Net migration rate: -4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) Median age: total: 34.9 years male: 34.3 years female: 35.3 years (2008 est.) Population: 7,044 (July 2008 est.) Education expenditures: NA Population growth rate: 0.114% (2008 est.) Languages: French (official) Death rate: 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 806/female 772) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,370/female 2,301) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 366/female 429) (2008 est.) Birth rate: 12.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Government	Back To Top
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Government type: NA Political pressure groups and leaders: NA Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Dependency status: self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France International organization participation: UPU, WFTU Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in 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 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 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 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, 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 - Left Radical Party 1 Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply 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 Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) Country name (Goverment): 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 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 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 Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre BERCOT (since 28 July 2008) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane ARTANO (since 21 February 2007) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 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 is elected by the members of the council 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 Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Economy	Back To Top
Electricity - consumption: 49.29 million kWh (2006 est.) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Debt - external: $NA Unemployment rate: 10.3% (1999) Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,000 (2001 est.) GDP (purchasing power parity): $48.3 million note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $NA Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) GDP - real growth rate: NA% Labor force: 3,450 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.1% (2005) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Oil - imports: 556.8 bbl/day (2005) Exports: $5.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) 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. Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Imports - commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Electricity - production: 53 million kWh (2006 est.) Imports: $68.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Oil - consumption: 560 bbl/day (2006 est.) Currency code: EUR Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Exports - commodities: fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts Economic aid - recipient: approximately $60 million in annual grants from France Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Budget: revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Communications	Back To Top
Internet users: NA Telephones - main lines in use: 4,800 (2002) Televisions: 4,000 (1997) Internet country code: .pm Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 4,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet hosts: 0 (2008)
Transportation	Back To Top
Ports and terminals: Saint-Pierre Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 117 km paved: 80 km unpaved: 37 km (2000) Airports: 2 (2007)
Military	Back To Top
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 61 female: 58 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues	Back To Top
Disputes - international: none

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