Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

3,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

3,650 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

2,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture--products

vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Budget

revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Debt--external

$NA

Economic aid--recipient

$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 the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped steadily over the years. 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. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.

Electricity--consumption

39 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

39 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994)

Exports

$1.2 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities

fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts

Exports--partners

US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity--$74 million (1996 est.)

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

$60.5 million (c.i.f., 1996)

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)

NA%

Labor force

3,000 (1996)

Labor force--by occupation

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

9.8% (1997)

Area

total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

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

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Environment--current issues

NA

Environment--international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: 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% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 4% other: 83% (1993 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

Terrain

mostly barren rock

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

chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Remi THUAU (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Bernard LE SOAVEC (since NA 1996) cabinet: 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

Flag description

a yellow sailing ship 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) elections: elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA April 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 15, other 4 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

Socialist Party or PS [leader NA];

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military--note

defense is the responsibility of France

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

12.27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Infant mortality rate

8.12 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

French

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.13 years male: 75.58 years female: 79 years (1999 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)

Nationality

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French

Net migration rate

0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

6,966 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

0.75% (1999 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%

Total fertility rate

1.58 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

none

Airports

2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Saint Pierre

Railways

0 km