Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

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Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon

Flag of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
(unofficial) Saint-Pierre and Miquelon Coat of Arms

National motto: A mare labor
Official language French
Capital Saint-Pierre
President of the General Council Stéphane Artano
Prefect Albert Dupuy
Area
– Total
– % water
242 km² (93.4 mi²)
0.0%
Population
– Total (March 1999 census)
– Density
6,316
26 /km²
Currency Euro (€;EUR)
GDP .3 Million (225)
Time zone UTC-3
Calling Code 508 ¹
Internet TLD .pm
1. 0508 from metropolitan France or overseas départements.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) [46°47′N 56°12′W] is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. It is the only remainder of the former colonial territory of New France.

Contents

1 History
2 Politics
3 Administrative Divisions
4 Geography
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Military
9 Transportation
10 Famous people born in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
11 Miscellaneous topics
12 See also
13 External links

13.1 Community, culture and history
13.2 General tourism ressources
13.3 Hotel and B&B listings
13.4 Travel ressources
13.5 Saint-Pierre and Miquelon Business
13.6 Other links

History

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon has been under French control since 1763. Paleoeskimo or Dorset culture artifacts have been uncovered in Saint-Pierre (Anse à Henry). Some of these date back to 3000 BC.

Named the 'Eleven Thousand Virgins' by Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes in 1521, the islands were also named the 'Islands of Saint-Pierre' by the French.

During the 16th century, the islands were used as a base for the seasonal cod fishery by the French of La Rochelle, Granville, Saint-Malo and the Basque Country. When French explorer Jacques Cartier was in Saint-Pierre in 1536 he made note of the French and Breton fishery.

The name Miquelon is of Basque origin as this island was used by fishermen from Saint-Jean de Luz.

Saint-Pierre was settled by the French in the early 17th century, abandoned under the Treaty of Utrecht, and returned to France in 1763 at the end of the Seven Years' War.

Between 1763 and 1778, the islands became a place of refuge for Acadian deportees from Nova Scotia.

In 1778 the islands were attacked and the population deported by the British as retaliation for French support of the American Revolutionary War.

Although France regained the islands in 1783, by 1793, British hostility to the French Revolution and the fact that France had declared war with the United Kingdom led to another British attack on the islands and the deportation of the entire population.

The Island of Miquelon

The islands were finally returned to France after the second abdication of Napoleon in 1816. They represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. They have always been most important as a fishing centre, being in easy travelling distance of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, some of the world's richest fishing grounds.

The islands were used during American Prohibition as a base for smuggling liquor into the United States by many gangsters including Al Capone and Bill McCoy.

After Nazi Germany invaded most of Europe during World War II, the islands were controlled by Vichy France. On Christmas Eve 1941, Free French forces led by Rear-Admiral Émile Muselier liberated the islands on behalf of Charles de Gaulle. Saint-Pierre and Miquelon became the focus of a serious rift between Free French forces and the United States Department of State, which was courting Vichy France and threatened to send ships to take the islands back.

The islands became a full département d'outre mer of France in 1976. This status was modified in 1985 and the islands became a territory with special status (collectivité territoriale à statut particulier). After the constitutional reform of 2003, it became a collectivité d'outre-mer, while keeping its particular name of collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.

Politics

More information on politics and government of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon can be found at the Politics and government of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon series.

The politics of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon take place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity, whereby the President of the General Council is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government.

In 1992, a maritime boundary dispute with Canada over the delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zone belonging to France was settled by the International Court of Arbitration. In the decision, France kept the 12 nautical mile (NM) (22.2 km) territorial sea surrounding the islands and was given an additional 12 NM (22.2 km) contiguous zone as well as a 10.5 NM (19.4 km) wide corridor stretching 200 NM (370 km) south. The total area in the award was 18% of what France had requested.

The boundary dispute had been a flash point for Franco-Canadian relations. New claims made under UNCLOS by France over the continental shelf might cause new tensions between France and Canada.

Administrative Divisions

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is administratively divided into two communes (municipalities). They are: Miquelon-Langlade and Saint-Pierre.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

The island of Saint-Pierre is surrounded by smaller dependencies which include the island of Grand Colombier, Petit Colombier, and Île aux Marins formally known as Île aux Chiens. The total area of the islands is 93.4 square miles (242 km²). They have a coastline total of 74.5 miles (120 km).

The island of Miquelon was formed by the joining of three islands by sand dunes and Quaternary deposits. These islands are Le Cap, Miquelon (Grande Miquelon), Langlade (Petite Miquelon).

The climate is very damp and windy, the winters are harsh and long. The spring and early summer are foggy and cool. Late summer and early fall are sunny.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

The islands were dependent upon the cod fishery for the best part of the last four centuries. However, overfishing on the Grand Banks has led Canada to impose a long-term closure of this industry. Since fishing quotas are governed by Canada, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and the French Fishery have been seriously affected.

In Saint-Pierre and Miquelon many efforts are being made, with the help of the French government, to diversify the local economy. Tourism, fish farming, crab fishing and agriculture are being developed.

The islands continue to print their own postage stamps but use the euro as their currency.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

The population of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon at the 1999 French census was 6,316 inhabitants. 5,618 of these lived in the commune (municipality) of Saint-Pierre and the other 698 in the commune of Miquelon-Langlade (697 on Miquelon proper, and 1 on Langlade Island).

Culture

Main article: Culture of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

French patriotism is still strong on the islands, and the islanders are proud that some of the soil on the island is French, having been brought over in the ballasts of ships.

Military

Defense is the responsibility of France (see also Military of France).

Transportation

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon has no railway and 114 km of highways (114 paved and 45 unpaved). Its only major harbour is Saint-Pierre. The dependency has no merchant marine and two airports, one with 1,524 to 2,437 m of paved runways and one with 914 and 1,523 m.

Famous people born in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

Denis Kang, mixed martial arts fighter.
Henry Hughes Hough, Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and Governor of the United States Virgin Islands

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

History

Politics

Administrative Divisions

Geography

Economy

Demographics

Culture

Military

Transportation

Famous people born in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

Miscellaneous topics

See also

External links

Community, culture and history

General tourism ressources

Hotel and B&B listings

Travel ressources

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon Business

Other links