2000 Edition

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.

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

Climate

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

Coastline

120 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Geography - note

vegetation scanty

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

13%

forests and woodland

4%

other

83% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

0%

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

Natural hazards

persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Terrain

mostly barren rock

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.19% (male 924; female 882) 15-64 years: 64.01% (male 2,254; female 2,160) 65 years and over: 9.8% (male 286; female 390) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

16.53 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.67 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Infant mortality rate

8.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

French

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.95 years (2000 est.)

male

75.36 years

total population

77.6 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (1982 est.)

male

99%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

-4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

6,896 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.49% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.14 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (territorial collectivity of France)

note

there are no first-order administrative divisions approved by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon

Capital

Saint-Pierre

Constitution

28 September 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

Data code

SB

Dependency status

self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Remi THUAU (since NA)

elections

French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; 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 Bernard LE SOAVEC (since NA 1996)

Flag description

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square 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 on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Government type

NA

Independence

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

International organization participation

FZ, WFTU

Judicial branch

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

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 - RPR 15, other 4

elections

elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA April 2000)

note

Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR ; Socialist Party or PS ; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Budget

expenditures

$60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

revenues

$70 million

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

approximately $65 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.

Electricity - consumption

37 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

40 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.98673 (January 2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)

Exports

$5 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners

US, France, UK, Canada, Portugal

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $65 million

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$66 million (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - 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)

2.1% (1991-96 average)

Labor force

3,000 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation

fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

9.8% (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

4,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system

Telephones - main lines in use

4,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

4,000 (1997)

Airports

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

69 km

total

114 km

unpaved

45 km (1994 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Saint Pierre

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Disputes - international

none

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES