2023 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 (2022)

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

13.42% (male 358/female 339)

15-64 years

61.98% (male 1,590/female 1,630)

65 years and over

24.6% (2023 est.) (male 563/female 715)

Birth rate

6.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

11.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

25.9

potential support ratio

3.9 (2021)

total dependency ratio

52

youth dependency ratio

26.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 91.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 8.6% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Gross reproduction rate

0.76 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

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

84.1 years

male

79.3 years

total population

81.6 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

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

Median age

female

51.2 years

male

49.9 years

total

50.6 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

French

noun

Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

-7.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

5,195 (2023 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

-1.19% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

90.1% of total population (2023)

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)

election results

2020: Bernard BRIAND elected President of Territorial Council; Territorial Council vote - 17 for, 2 abstentions2017: Stephane LENORMAND elected President of Territorial Council vote - NA

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 10 April and 24 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; Territorial Council president elected by Territorial Council councilors by absolute majority vote; term NA; election last held on 13 October 2020 (next election to held in NA)

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 court(s)

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 (first round) - AD 45.9%, Focus on the Future 37%, Together to Build 17.1%; percent of vote by party (second round) - AD 51.8%, Focus on the Future 38.1%, Together to Build 10.1%, seats by party - AD 15, Focus on the Future 4; composition - men NA, women NA, percent of women NAFrench 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 - AD 1

elections

Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March and second round held on 27 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2028)French Senate - last held on 27 September 2020 (next to be held no later than September 2025)French National Assembly - last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027)

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 (Archipel Domain) or AD (affiliated with The Republicans)Focus on the Future (Cap sur l'Avenir) [Annick GIRARDIN] (affiliated with Left Radical Party)Together to Build (Ensemble pour Construire) [Karine CLAIREAUX]

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

high-income, French North American territorial economy; primarily fishing exports; substantial French Government support; highly seasonal labor force; euro user; increasing tourism and aquaculture investments

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)

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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

84,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

84,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

47.267 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

26,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.733 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

0 Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

600 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

88.7% (2022 est.)

total

5,099 (2022 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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

76 (2015 est.)

total subscriptions

4,800 (2015 est.)

Airports

2 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

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 identified

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

90.1% of total population (2023)