2018 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. They attained the status of an overseas collectivity in 2003.

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

one and half times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

120 km

Elevation

0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

note

240 highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne

Environment Current Issues

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

Geographic Coordinates

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Geography Note

vegetation scanty; the islands are actually part of the northern Appalachians along with Newfoundland

Irrigated Land

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

arable land: 8.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

8.7% (2011 est.)

forest

12.5% (2011 est.)

other

78.8% (2011 est.)

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

Population Distribution

most of the population is found on Saint Pierre Island; a small settlement is located on the north end of Miquelon Island

Terrain

mostly barren rock

Age Structure

0-14 years

14.88% (male 420 /female 394)

15-24 years

8.99% (male 255 /female 237)

25-54 years

41.44% (male 1,109 /female 1,158)

55-64 years

13.69% (male 389 /female 360)

65 years and over

21% (male 489 /female 660) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

7 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Ethnic Groups

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Infant Mortality Rate

female

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

French (official)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

83.2 years (2018 est.)

male

78.4 years (2018 est.)

total population

80.7 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

6,000 SAINT-PIERRE (capital) (2018)

Median Age

female

47.7 years (2018 est.)

male

46.7 years

total

47.2 years

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net Migration Rate

-8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Population

5,471 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-1.13% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.08 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.11 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.57 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.36% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

90.2% of total population (2018)

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 2 communes at the second order - Saint Pierre, Miquelon

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)

Citizenship

note

see France

Constitution

amendments

amendment procedures of France's constitution apply (2018)

history

4 October 1958 (French Constitution) (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

conventional short form

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

etymology

Saint-Pierre is named after Saint PETER, the patron saint of fishermen; Miquelon may be a corruption of the Basque name Mikelon

local long form

Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

local short form

Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency Status

overseas collectivity of France

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

note

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

note

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Executive Branch

cabinet

Le Cabinet du Prefet

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Thierry DEVIMEUX (since 17 January 2018)

elections/appointments

French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 April and 6 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior

head of government

President of Territorial Council Stephane LENORMAND (since 24 October 2017)

Flag Description

a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white, wavy lines under the ship; a continuous black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines; 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 blue on the main portion of the flag symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean and the stylized ship represents the Grande Hermine in which Jacques Cartier "discovered" the islands in 1536

note

the flag of France used for official occasions

Government Type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Independence

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

International Organization Participation

UPU, WFTU (NGOs)

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel (composition NA)

judge selection and term of office

judge selection and tenure NA

subordinate courts

NA

Legal System

French civil law

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats - Saint Pierre 15, Miquelon 4; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 6-year terms);Saint Pierre and Miquelon indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college to serve a 6-year term and directly elects 1 deputy to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote to serve a 5-year term

election results

Territorial Council - percent of vote by party - AD 70.2%, Cap sur l'Avenir 29.8%; seats by party - AD 17, Cap sur l'Avenir 2French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 1 (affiliated with UMP)French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ensemble pour l'Avenir 1 (affiliated with PRG)

elections

Territorial Council - last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2023)French Senate - last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held no later than September 2020)French National Assembly - last held on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017)

National Anthem

note

as a collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

National Holiday

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790)

National Symbol S

16th-century sailing ship

Political Parties And Leaders

Archipelago Tomorrow or AD (affiliated with UMP)Cap sur l'Avenir [Annick GIRARDIN] (affiliated with Left Radical Party)Togerther for the Future (Ensemble pour l'Avenir) (affiliated with PRG)SPM ensemble

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Budget

expenditures

60 million (1996 est.)

revenues

70 million (1996 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

3.8% (of GDP) (1996 est.)

Debt External

note

NA

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. The services sector accounted for 86% of GDP in 2010, the last year data is available for. Government employment accounts for than 46% of the GDP, and 78% of the population is working age.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. Trade is the second largest sector in terms of value added created, where it contributes significantly to economic activity. The extractive industries and energy sector is the third largest sector of activity in the archipelago, attributable in part to the construction of a new thermal power plant in 2015.

Exchange Rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.885 (2017 est.)

0.903 (2016 est.)

0.9214 (2015 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Exports

$6.641 million (2010 est.)

$5.5 million (2005 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

2% (2006 est.)

industry

15% (2006 est.)

services

83% (2006 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$261.3 million (2015 est.) (2015 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$46,200 (2006 est.)

$34,900 (2005)

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$261.3 million (2015 est.)

$215.3 million (2006 est.)

note

supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

Gdp Real Growth Rate

note

NA

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$95.35 million (2010 est.)

$68.2 million (2005 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate

NA

Industries

fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

1.5% (2015)

4.5% (2010)

Labor Force

4,429 (2015)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

18%

industry

41%

services

41% (1996 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

NA

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.8% (of GDP) (1996 est.)

Unemployment Rate

8.7% (2015 est.)

9.9% (2008 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

100,200 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Consumption

42.78 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

27,600 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

46 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

660 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

650 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadcast Media

2 TV stations with a third repeater station, all part of the French Overseas Network; radio stations on St. Pierre and on Miquelon are part of the French Overseas Network (2007)

Internet Country Code

.pm

Internet Users

percent of population

79.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

4,500 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

general assessment

adequate

international

country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

80 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

4,800 (July 2016 est.)

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

total

2 (2017)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Saint-Pierre

Roadways

paved

80 km (2009)

total

117 km (2009)

unpaved

37 km (2009)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of France

Disputes International

none