Spratly Islands (2008) | Saint Pierre and Miquelon (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: 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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish |
Airports | 3 (2007) | 2 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
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 |
Area - comparative | NA | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 13.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million; including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 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 |
Climate | tropical | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy |
Coastline | 926 km | 120 km |
Constitution | - | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
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 |
Death rate | - | 6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | - | self-governing territorial collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 41.06 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 44.15 million kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment |
Ethnic groups | - | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) |
Exchange rates | - | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
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 |
Exports | - | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | - | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts |
Exports - partners | - | Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005) |
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 |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 46 50 N, 56 20 W |
Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | vegetation scanty |
Heliports | 3 (2007) | - |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials |
Imports - partners | - | France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005) |
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: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.1% (1991-96 average) |
International organization participation | - | UPU, WFTU |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | - | 3,261 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 18%
industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) |
Languages | - | French (official) |
Legal system | - | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.61 years
male: 76.27 years female: 81.06 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) |
Map references | Southeast Asia | North America |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam | defense is the responsibility of France |
National holiday | - | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | - | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
Natural hazards | typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | fish, deepwater ports |
Net migration rate | - | -4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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 |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states |
7,026 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.17% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 99% |
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.) |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 4,800 (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 | flat | mostly barren rock |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 10.3% (1999) |