Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2005) | Akrotiri (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 | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 24% (male 861/female 825)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,330/female 2,251) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 335/female 410) (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | - |
Airports | 2 (2004 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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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: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 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. | By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area. |
Birth rate | 13.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.) |
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Capital | Saint-Pierre | name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia
geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters |
Coastline | 120 km | 56.3 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960 |
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: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri |
Death rate | 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus |
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 | - |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | - |
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. | Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. |
Electricity - consumption | 40.06 million kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | 43.08 million kWh (2002) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
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Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base |
Ethnic groups | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | - |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) | - |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY (since 10 January 2005)
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)
head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA | - |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | - |
Exports - partners | Belgium 41.3%, US 19.9%, Spain 14.9%, France 10%, Germany 4.1% (2004) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
Flag description | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle 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 above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions | the flag of the UK is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 34 37 N, 32 58 E |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus |
Highways | total: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | NA | - |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | - |
Imports - partners | France 37.6%, Canada 25.3%, Ireland 25.2%, Italy 5.1% (2004) | - |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | - |
International organization participation | UPU, WFTU | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | - |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | - |
Labor force | 3,261 (1999) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (2001) |
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Languages | French (official) | English, Greek |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.46 years
male: 76.13 years female: 80.9 years (2005 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
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Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus |
Map references | North America | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | - |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
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Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | - |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | - |
Net migration rate | -4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Left Radical Party or PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 7,012 (July 2005 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.21% (2005 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Saint-Pierre | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | FM 1
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 4,800 (2002) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | - |
Total fertility rate | 2.03 children born/woman (2005 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) | - |