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.
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)
area
242 sq km
land 242 sq km
water 0 sq km
land boundaries
0 km
coastline
120 km
climate
cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog; spring and autumn are often windy
terrain
mostly barren rock
elevation
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean
0
highest point
Morne de la Grande Montagne
240
natural resources
fish
deepwater ports
land use
arable land 8.7 %
permanent crops 0 %
permanent pasture 0 %
forest 12.5 %
other 78.8 %
population distribution
most of the population is found on Saint Pierre Island; a small settlement is located on the north end of Miquelon Island
people
population
5,347
228
global rank
nationality
Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
noun
French
adjective
ethnic groups
Basques and Bretons
languages
French
official
religions
Roman Catholic 99 %
other 1 %
birth rate
6.7
per 1,000 population
228
global rank
death rate
10.9
per 1,000 population
23
global rank
urban population
90 %
major urban areas
Saint-Pierre
pop. 6,000
life expectancy
81
total population
41
global rank
78.6
male
83.5
female
government
country name
conventional
Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
long form
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
short form
local
Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
long form
Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
short form
government type
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
capital
Saint-Pierre
46.46
N,
56.11
W
independence
national holidays
Fete de la Federation
14 July
legal system
French civil law
age of suffrage
18
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
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.
GDP
261,300,000 USD
2015
agriculture products
vegetables
poultry
cattle
sheep
pigs
fish
budget
70,000,000
revenue (USD)
60,000,000
expenditures (USD)
communications
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
internet
.pm
country code
users
4,500
total
79.5
% of population
215
global rank
energy
This entry doesn't have any available energy data.
transportation
air transport
airports
2
total
2
paved
roadways
117 km
total length
military
This entry doesn't have any available military data.