Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2002) | Aruba (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 904; female 864)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 2,288; female 2,193) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 303; female 402) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | aloes; livestock; fish |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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 |
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. |
Birth rate | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million |
revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
Capital | Saint-Pierre | Oranjestad |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 120 km | 68.5 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 1 January 1986 |
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 |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
Death rate | 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $285 million (1996) |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
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. 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 to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks. |
Electricity - consumption | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | 418.5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | 450 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | NA |
Ethnic groups | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX (since 9 October 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); 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 |
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
Exports | $12 million f.o.b. (1999) | $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
Exports - partners | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999) | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side 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 | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2.5% (2000) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) |
Highways | total: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.) |
total: 800 km
paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity |
Imports | $55 million f.o.b. (1999) | $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999) | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
Infant mortality rate | 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | 4% (2000) |
International organization participation | FZ, WFTU | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 3,000 (1997) (1997) | 41,501 |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official) | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
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 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 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, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1 |
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.93 years
male: 75.66 years female: 80.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.32 years female: 82.19 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Flag Day, 18 March |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
Net migration rate | -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 6,954 (July 2002 est.) | 70,441 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.35% (2002 est.) | 0.59% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Pierre | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 4,000 (1997) | 50,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system |
general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | 33,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 3,402 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
Total fertility rate | 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) (1997) | 0.6% |
Waterways | none | none |