Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2002) | Montserrat (2006) | |
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 | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter |
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: 23.3% (male 1,125/female 1,079)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,957/female 3,245) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 532/female 501) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 2 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
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: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.6 times the size of 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. | English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possesion of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003. |
Birth rate | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 17.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million |
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
Capital | Saint-Pierre | name: Plymouth
geographic coordinates: 16 44 N, 62 14 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 120 km | 40 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | effective 19 December 1989 |
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: Montserrat |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | - |
Death rate | 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $8.9 million (1997) |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.) |
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. | Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. |
Electricity - consumption | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | 1.86 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | 2 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | 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: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
Ethnic groups | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | black, white |
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) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)
note: fixed rate since 1976 |
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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004)
head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister |
Exports | $12 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle |
Exports - partners | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999) | US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | -1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 16 45 N, 62 12 W |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages |
Highways | total: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $55 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials |
Imports - partners | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999) | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2004) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances |
Infant mortality rate | 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | 2.6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, WFTU | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) |
Labor force | 3,000 (1997) (1997) | 4,521
note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) |
Languages | French (official) | English |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | English common law and statutory law |
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 Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.93 years
male: 75.66 years female: 80.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.85 years
male: 76.67 years female: 81.14 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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] | Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 6,954 (July 2002 est.) | 9,439
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.35% (2002 est.) | 1.05% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Pierre | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 4,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations |
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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 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: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 70 (1994) |
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 | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Total fertility rate | 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.77 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) (1997) | 6% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |