1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
Coastline
120 km
Comparative area
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Disputes
focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France
Environment
vegetation scanty
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 13%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 4%; other 83%
Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, deepwater ports
Note
located 25 km south of Newfoundland, Canada, in the North Atlantic Ocean
Terrain
mostly barren rock
Total area
242 km2; land area: 242 km2; includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups
People and Society
Birth rate
17 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
originally Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Infant mortality rate
9 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
2,850 (1988)
Language
French
Life expectancy at birth
72 years male, 79 years female (1991)
Literacy
99% (male 99%, female 99%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Nationality
noun--Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective--French
Net migration rate
- 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
Workers' Force trade union
Population
6,356 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 98%
Total fertility rate
2.2 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territorial collectivity of France)
Capital
Saint-Pierre
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Diplomatic representation
as a territorial collectivity of France, local interests are represented in the US by France
Elections
General Council--last held September-October 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(19 total) Socialist and other left-wing parties 13, UDF and right-wing parties 6; French President--last held 8 May 1988 (next to be held May 1995); results--(second ballot) Jacques CHIRAC 56%, Francois MITTERRAND 44%; French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) PS 1; French National Assembly--last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) UDF/CDS 1
Executive branch
commissioner of the Republic
Flag
the flag of France is used
Independence
none (territorial collectivity of France); note--has been under French control since 1763
Judicial branch
Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Leaders
Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government--Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Pierre MARQUIE (since February 1989); President of the General Council Marc PLANTEGENEST (since NA)
Legal system
French law
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council
Long-form name
Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Member of
FZ, WFTU
National holiday
National Day, 14 July (Taking of the Bastille)
Political parties and leaders
Socialist Party (PS); Union for French Democracy (UDF/CDS), Gerard GRIGNON
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
territorial collectivity of France
Economy
Agriculture
vegetables, cattle, sheep and pigs for local consumption; fish catch, 20,500 metric tons (1989)
Budget
revenues $18.3 million; expenditures $18.3 million, including capital expenditures of $5.5 million (1989)
Currency
French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $493 million
Electricity
10,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 3,970 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1--5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
Exports
$24.1 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts; partners--US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$50 million, per capita $7,900; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.)
Imports
$61.6 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials; partners--Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
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.
Unemployment rate
8.3% (1988)
Communications
Airports
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways, none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
120 km total; 60 km paved (1985)
Ports
Saint Pierre
Telecommunications
3,601 telephones; stations--1 AM, 3 FM, no TV; radiotelecommunication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic system
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of France _%_