Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Airports

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways, none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air

Air Saint-Pierre

Highways

120 km total; 60 kM paved (1985)

Ports

St. Pierre

Telecommunications

3,601 telephones; stations--1 AM, 3 FM, no TV; radiotelecommunication with most countries in the world; 1 satellite earth station in French domestic system

Note

defense is the responsibility of France

Agriculture

vegetables, cattle, sheep and pigs for local consumption; fish catch, 14,750 metric tons (1986)

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $477 million

Budget

revenues $NA million; expenditures $13.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

Currency

French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Electricity

10,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 3,970 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1--5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)

Exports

$23.3 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts; partners--US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

$NA, per capita $2,495 (1984); real growth rate NA%

Imports

$50.3 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials; partners--Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

fishing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

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 St. Pierre has steadily dropped over the years. In March 1989, an agreement between France and Canada set fish quotas for St. Pierre's trawlers fishing in Canadian and Canadian-claimed waters for three years. The agreement settles a longstanding dispute that had virtually brought fish exports to a halt. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada.

Unemployment rate

13.3% (1987)

Climate

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

Coastline

120 km

Comparative area

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone

12 nm;

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Disputes

focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France

Environment

vegetation scanty

Extended economic zone

200 nm;

Land boundaries

none

Land use

13% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 4% forest and woodland; 83% other

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Note

located 25 km south of Newfoundland, Canada, in the North Atlantic Ocean

Terrain

mostly barren rock

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

242 km2; land area: 242 km2; includes eight small islands in the St. Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Administrative divisions

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Capital

St. Pierre

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Diplomatic representation

as a territorial collectivity of France, local interests are represented in the US by France

Executive branch

commissioner of the Republic

Flag

the flag of France is used

Independence

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Judicial branch

Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel) Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government--Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Pierre MARQUIE (since February 1989); President of the General Council Marc PLANTEGENEST (since NA)

Legal system

French law

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council

Long-form name

Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

National holiday

National Day, 14 July

Political parties and leaders

Socialist Party (PS); Union for French Democracy (UDF/CDS), Gerard Grignon

Suffrage

universal at age 18 General Council--last held September-October 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(19 total) Socialist and other left-wing parties 13, UDF and right-wing parties 6; French President--last held 8 May 1988 (next to be held May 1995); results--(second ballot) Jacques Chirac 56%, Francois Mitterrand 44%; French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) PS 1; French National Assembly--last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) UDF/CDS 1

Type

territorial collectivity of France

Birth rate

17 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

originally Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Infant mortality rate

9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

2,510 (1982)

Language

French

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 79 years female (1990)

Literacy

NA%, but compulsory education between 6 and 16 years of age

Nationality

noun--Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective--French

Net migration rate

- 6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

Workers' Force trade union

Population

6,330 (July 1990), growth rate 0.4% (1990)

Religion

98% Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1990)