Introduction

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.`

Geography

Location: |  |
`Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)`
Geographic coordinates: |  |
`46 50 N, 56 20 W`
Map references: |  |
`North America`
Area: |  |
`total: 242 sq km country comparison to the world: 212 land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups`
Area - comparative: |  |
`one and half times the size of Washington, DC`
Land boundaries: |  |
`0 km`
Coastline: |  |
`120 km`
Maritime claims: |  |
`territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm`
Climate: |  |
`cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog; spring and autumn are often windy`
Terrain: |  |
`mostly barren rock`
Elevation extremes: |  |
`lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m`
Natural resources: |  |
`fish, deepwater ports`
Land use: |  |
`arable land: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005)`
Irrigated land: |  |
`NA`
Natural hazards: |  |
`persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard`
Environment - current issues: |  |
`recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment`
Geography - note: |  |
`vegetation scanty`

People

Population: |  |
`5,888 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 227`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 17.1% (male 518/female 487) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 2,004/female 1,949) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 379/female 551) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 42.6 years male: 42.2 years female: 43 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`-0.968% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 229`
Birth rate: |  |
`8.32 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 218`
Death rate: |  |
`8.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 77`
Net migration rate: |  |
`-9.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 208`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 91% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`SAINT-PIERRE (capital) 5,000 (2009)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.042 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 7.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 162 male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 79.87 years country comparison to the world: 31 male: 77.61 years female: 82.26 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`1.55 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 180`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`NA`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)`
Religions: |  |
`Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%`
Languages: |  |
`French (official)`
Literacy: |  |
`definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`NA`
Education expenditures: |  |
`NA`

Government

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`
Dependency status: |  |
`self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France`
Government type: |  |
`NA`
Capital: |  |
`name: Saint-Pierre geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November`
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 two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order`
Independence: |  |
`none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)`
National holiday: |  |
`Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)`
Constitution: |  |
`4 October 1958 (French Constitution)`
Legal system: |  |
`French civil law`
Suffrage: |  |
`18 years of age; universal`
Executive branch: |  |

`
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Regis BORIUS (since 29 October 2009)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)
cabinet: NA
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council elected by the members of the council
`

Legislative branch: |  |

`
unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held on 19 and 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one member to the French Senate; elections last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held on, first round - 10 June 2007, second round - 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRG 1
`

Judicial branch: |  |
`Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel`
Political parties and leaders: |  |
`Archipelago Tomorrow or AD (affiliated with UDF/RPR list); Cap sur l'Avenir (affiliated with PRG); Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`NA`
International organization participation: |  |
`UPU, WFTU`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)`
Diplomatic representation from the US: |  |
`none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)`
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
`

National anthem: |  |
`note: as a collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)`

Economy

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. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. 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.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$48.3 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 222 note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$NA`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$7,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 131`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%`
Labor force: |  |
`3,450 (2005) country comparison to the world: 221`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: 18% industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`10.3% (1999) country comparison to the world: 111`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`NA%`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`8.1% (2005) country comparison to the world: 187`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish`
Industries: |  |
`fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
Electricity - production: |  |
`53 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`49.29 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192`
Oil - exports: |  |
`0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198`
Oil - imports: |  |
`563.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182`
Exports: |  |
`$5.5 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 215`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts`
Imports: |  |
`$68.2 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 214`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials`
Debt - external: |  |
`$NA`
Exchange rates: |  |
`euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.755 (2010) 0.7198 (2009) 0.6734 (2008) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`4,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 212`
Telephone system: |  |
`general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system`
Broadcast media: |  |
`2 television stations with a third repeater station, all part of the French Overseas Network; has radio stations on St. Pierre and on Miquelon that are part of the French Overseas Network (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.pm`
Internet hosts: |  |
`0 (2010) country comparison to the world: 231`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 203`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 117 km country comparison to the world: 213 paved: 80 km unpaved: 37 km (2000)`
Ports and terminals: |  |
`Saint-Pierre`

Military

Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 1,064 females age 16-49: 1,069 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 34 female: 32 (2010 est.)`
Military - note: |  |
`defense is the responsibility of France`

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: |  |
`none`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 25, 2011