SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON (territorial collectivity of France) GEOGRAPHY Total area: 242 km2; land area: 242 km2; includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 120 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy Terrain: mostly barren rock Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports Land use: arable land 13%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 4%; other 83% Environment: vegetation scanty Note: located 25 km south of Newfoundland, Canada, in the North Atlantic Ocean PEOPLE Population: 6,356 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991) Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective--French Ethnic divisions: originally Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) Religion: Roman Catholic 98% Language: French Literacy: 99% (male 99%, female 99%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982) Labor force: 2,850 (1988) Organized labor: Workers' Force trade union GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon Type: territorial collectivity of France Capital: Saint-Pierre Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France) Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France); note--has been under French control since 1763 Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French law National holiday: National Day, 14 July (Taking of the Bastille) Executive branch: commissioner of the Republic Legislative branch: unicameral General Council Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel) Leaders: 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) Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party (PS); Union for French Democracy (UDF/CDS), Gerard GRIGNON Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: 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 Member of: FZ, WFTU Diplomatic representation: as a territorial collectivity of France, local interests are represented in the US by France Flag: the flag of France is used 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 March 1989, an agreement between France and Canada set fish quotas for Saint 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 and France. GDP: $50 million, per capita $7,900; real growth rate NA% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 8.3% (1988) Budget: revenues $18.3 million; expenditures $18.3 million, including capital expenditures of $5.5 million (1989) Exports: $24.1 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts; partners--US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal Imports: $61.6 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials; partners--Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 10,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 3,970 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism Agriculture: vegetables, cattle, sheep and pigs for local consumption; fish catch, 20,500 metric tons (1989) Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $493 million Currency: French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 120 km total; 60 km paved (1985) Ports: Saint Pierre Civil air: no major transport aircraft 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 Telecommunications: 3,601 telephones; stations--1 AM, 3 FM, no TV; radiotelecommunication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic system DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of France