2021 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

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

highest point

Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

8.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

78.8% (2018 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

14.31% (male 395/female 370)

15-24 years

8.83% (male 245/female 227)

25-54 years

40% (male 1,039/female 1,100)

55-64 years

14.49% (male 400/female 375)

65 years and over

22.37% (male 513/female 683) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

6.58 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

11.09 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 91.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 8.6% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

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

6.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

10.37 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

French (official)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.7 years (2021 est.)

male

78.83 years

total population

81.2 years

Major urban areas - population

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

Median age

female

49 years (2020 est.)

male

47.9 years

total

48.5 years

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

-7.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population

5,321 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-1.2% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.94 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.58 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

90% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

named after Saint Peter, the patron saint of fisherman

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

see France

Constitution

amendments

amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

history

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

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

embassy

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

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 Christian POUGET (since 6 January 2021)

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 Bernard BRIAND (since 13 October 2020)

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

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 2; composition - men 10, women 9, percent of women 47.4%French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1 (affiliated with UMP)French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ensemble pour l'Avenir 1 (affiliated with PRG); the Republicans (LR) 1

elections

Territorial Council - last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2023)French Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held no later than September 2023)French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)

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

Agricultural 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

NA

Economic 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

currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

0.885 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

0.9214 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

0.903 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

0.885 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2005

$5.5 million (2005 est.)

Exports 2010

$6.641 million (2010 est.)

Exports - commodities

crustaceans, fish, medical instruments, electrical parts, pasta (2019)

Exports - partners

Canada 79%, France 8%, Belgium 6% (2019)

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.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2005

$68.2 million (2005 est.)

Imports 2010

$95.35 million (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities

food preparation, packaged medicines, low-voltage protection equipment, cars, computers, iron structures (2019)

Imports - partners

France 69%, Canada 22% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2010

4.5% (2010)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

1.5% (2015)

Labor force

4,429 (2015)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

18%

industry

41%

services

41% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2006

$215.3 million (2006 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$261.3 million (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

NA

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2005

$34,900 (2005)

Real GDP per capita 2006

$46,200 (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.8% (of GDP) (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2008

9.9% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate 2015

8.7% (2015 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 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

8 TV stations, all part of the French Overseas Network, and local cable provided by SPM Telecom; 3 of 4 radio stations on St. Pierre and on Miquelon are part of the French Overseas Network (2021)

Internet country code

.pm

Internet users

percent of population

79.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

4,600 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity 76 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

adequate (2019)

international

country code - 508; landing point for the St Pierre and Miquelon Cable connecting Saint Pierre & Miquelon and Canada; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

75.55 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

4,086

Airports

total

2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2019)

total

2

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

Climate

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

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

Land use

agricultural land

8.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

12.5% (2018 est.)

other

78.8% (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

90% of total population (2021)