Saint Pierre and Miquelon

(territorial collectivity of France)

Geography

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

Map references: North America

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

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: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
international agreements: NA

Note: vegetation scanty

People

Population: 6,757 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 0.78% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 13.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.83 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76 years
male: 74.4 years
female: 77.92 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 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 can read and write (1982)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Labor force: 2,850 (1988)
by occupation: NA

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: SB

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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government: Commissioner of the Republic Yves HENRY (since NA December 1993); 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) seats by party NA
French Senate: elections last held NA September 1986 (next to be held NA September 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PS 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), Albert PEN; Union for French Democracy (UDF/CDS), Gerard GRIGNON

Member of: FZ, WFTU

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

US diplomatic representation: none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag: the flag of France is used

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 March 1989, an agreement between France and Canada set fish quotas for Saint Pierre's trawlers fishing in Canadian and Canadian-claimed waters for three years. The agreement settles a longstanding dispute that had virtually brought fish exports to a halt. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $66 million (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $10,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 9.6% (1990)

Budget:
revenues: $18.3 million
expenditures: $18.3 million, including capital expenditures of $5.5 million (1989 est.)

Exports: $30 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities: fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts
partners: US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal (1990)

Imports: $82 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials
partners: Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

External debt: $NA

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 - 5.2943 (January 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: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Communications

Telephone system: 3,601 telephones
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: NA

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France