Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2002) | Norfolk Island (2008) | |
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 (territory of Australia) |
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: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
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: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.2 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. | Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. |
Birth rate | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million |
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00) |
Capital | Saint-Pierre | name: Kingston
geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 120 km | 32 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005 |
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: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | - |
Death rate | 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | $NA |
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, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. |
Electricity - consumption | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 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) | descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian |
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) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
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 the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $12 million f.o.b. (1999) | $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
Exports - partners | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999) | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
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 | three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band |
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% |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 29 02 S, 167 57 E |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated |
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% |
- |
Imports | $55 million f.o.b. (1999) | $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | NA |
Imports - partners | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999) | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2006) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete |
Infant mortality rate | 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | - |
International organization participation | FZ, WFTU | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
Labor force | 3,000 (1997) (1997) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | agriculture: 10%
industry and services: 90% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | French (official) | English (official), Norfolk - a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island 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 Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.93 years
male: 75.66 years female: 80.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
NA |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
Map references | North America | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | typhoons (especially May to July) |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | fish |
Net migration rate | -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
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] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 6,954 (July 2002 est.) | 2,114 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.35% (2002 est.) | 0.006% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Pierre | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
Radios | 4,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.2%, none 18.1% (2001 census) |
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.) |
NA |
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: adequate
domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | 2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 0; note - proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | 1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that air Australian programs by satellite) (2005) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains |
Total fertility rate | 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) (1997) | - |
Waterways | none | - |