Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2006) | Tokelau (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 New Zealand) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 843/female 807)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,342/female 2,272) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 348/female 414) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish |
Airports | 2 (2006) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 17 times the size of The Mall in 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. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
Birth rate | 13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million; including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.) |
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.) |
Capital | name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in 2007 |
none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 120 km | 101 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
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: Tokelau |
Death rate | 6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution |
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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | 41.06 million kWh (2003) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
Electricity - production | 44.15 million kWh (2003) | NA kWh |
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: unnamed location 5 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 | limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
Ethnic groups | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
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, 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 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 General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government: Pio TUIA (since 23 February 2008); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $0 |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005) | New Zealand (2006) |
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 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 New Zealand is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $969,200 c.i.f. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005) | New Zealand (2006) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | NA% |
International organization participation | UPU, WFTU | PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Irrigated land | NA | NA |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | 3,261 (1999) | 440 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 18%
industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) |
- |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | French (official) | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | New Zealand and local statutes |
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 in 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 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 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 General Fono (20 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Atafu has seven seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Nukunonu has six seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: independents 20 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.61 years
male: 76.27 years female: 81.06 years (2006 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, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | North America | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
Political parties and leaders | Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 7,026 (July 2006 est.) | 1,449 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.17% (2006 est.) | -0.018% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 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 |
general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,800 (2002) | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | - |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | 2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 10.3% (1999) | NA% |