Saint Pierre and Miquelon

is French for Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. The present name of was first noted in the form of Micquetô, Miqueton, or Micquellon in the French Basque sailor Martin de Hoyarçabal's 1579 navigational pilot for Newfoundland, Les voyages aventureux du Capitaine Martin de Hoyarsabal, habitant du çubiburu: It has been claimed that the name Miquelon is a Basque form of Michael; Mikel and Mikels are usually named Mikelon in the Basque Country. Therefore, from Mikelon, it may have been written in the French way with a qu instead of a k. The Basque Country is divided between Spain and France, and most Basques live south of the border. As such, Miquelon may have been influenced by the Spanish name , an augmentative form of Miguel meaning "big Michael". The adjoined island's name of "Langlade" is said to be an adaptation of (Englishman's Island). ==History==

Before 1900 Archaeological evidence indicates that indigenous peoples of Canada, such as the Beothuk, visited Saint Pierre and Miquelon. However, there is no evidence they settled on the islands permanently. On 21 October 1520, the Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes landed on the islands and named the island group they were part of the "Eleven Thousand Virgins", as the day marked the feast day of Saint Ursula and her virgin companions. In 1536, the French explorer Jacques Cartier claimed the islands as a possession of France. The 1763 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Seven Years' War, resulted in the French ceding all of New France to Britain and Spain, though the British granted fishing rights to French fishermen along the Newfoundland coast and returned Saint Pierre and Miquelon to France. In 1778, after France joined the American Revolutionary War against Britain, British forces under Vice-admiral John Montagu occupied Saint Pierre and Miquelon, burning all French settlements on the islands and deporting their inhabitants back to France. During the early 1910s, the colony suffered economic hardship as a result of unprofitable fisheries, and large numbers of its inhabitants emigrated to Nova Scotia and Quebec. The draft imposed by French authorities on all male inhabitants of conscription age after the outbreak of World War I in 1914 crippled the fisheries, as their catch could not be processed by the older men or the women and children. In 1931, the archipelago was reported by The New York Times to have imported of whisky from Canada in 12 months, most of which was smuggled into the United States. The end of prohibition in 1933 plunged the islands once more into economic depression. During World War II, despite opposition from Canada, Britain, and the United States, the Free French Forces seized the islands from Vichy France, to which the colony's administrator Gilbert de Bournat had pledged its allegiance, on 24 December 1941. In referendums on both islands, the population endorsed Free France's takeover by over 98%. After 1945 The colony became a French overseas territory in 1946. After the 1958 French constitutional referendum, the territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon was asked to choose one of three options: becoming fully integrated with France, becoming a self-governing state within the French Community, or preserving the status of an overseas territory; it decided to remain a territory. The archipelago became an overseas department on 19 July 1976, before acquiring the status of territorial collectivity on 11 June 1985, thus withdrawing from the European Communities. ==Politics==

Since March 2003, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has been an overseas collectivity with a special status. A third commune, Isle-aux-Marins, existed until 1945, when it was absorbed by the municipality of Saint-Pierre. Since 21 August 2023, the prefect has been Bruno André. The local legislative body, the Territorial Council (), has 19 members: four councillors from Miquelon-Langlade and 15 from Saint-Pierre. Law enforcement in Saint Pierre and Miquelon is the responsibility of a branch of the French Gendarmerie Nationale; there are two police stations in the archipelago. Maritime boundary case of Saint Pierre and Miquelon France claimed a exclusive economic zone for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Further, in August 1983, the naval ship Lieutenant de vaisseau Le Hénaff and the seismic ship Lucien Beaufort were sent to explore for oil in the disputed zone. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. ==Geography==

Located off the western end of the Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula, the archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon comprises eight islands, totalling , of which only two are inhabited. The islands are bare and rocky, with steep coasts, and only a thin layer of peat to soften the hard landscape. The islands, like Newfoundland, are geologically part of the northeastern end of the Appalachian Mountains. In the north of Miquelon Island is the village of Miquelon-Langlade (710 inhabitants), while Langlade Island is almost deserted (only one inhabitant in the 1999 census). Seals and other wildlife can be found in the Grand Barachois Lagoon of Miquelon. Every spring, whales migrating to Greenland are visible off the coasts of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Trilobite fossils have been found on Langlade. The stone pillars off the island coasts called "L'anse aux Soldats" eroded away and disappeared in the 1970s. The rocky islands are barren, except for scrubby yews and junipers and thin volcanic soil. Due to just three months being above 10 °C (50 °F) in mean temperatures and winter lows being so mild, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has a Köppen Climate Classification of Dfc, if bordering on Cfc due to the mildness of the winter and either Dfb or Cfb due to the closeness of the fourth-and fifth-warmest months to having mean temperatures at or above 10 °C (50 °F). Typical maritime seasonal lag is also strong with September being warmer than June and March being colder than December. The average temperature is , with a temperature range of 19 °C (35 °F) between the warmest ( in August) and coldest months ( in February). ==Economy==

The economy of the islands, due to their location, has been dependent on fishing and servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, due to disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a decline in the number of ships stopping at the islands. In 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25 percent of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France, which benefits the standard of living. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects, and test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. Agriculture The climate and the small amount of available land militate against activities such as farming and livestock raising (weather conditions are severe, confining the growing season to a few weeks, and the soil contains significant peat and clay and is largely infertile). Since 1992 the economy has been in steep decline, following the depletion of fish stocks due to overfishing, the limitation of fishing areas and the ban imposed on all cod fishing by the Canadian Government. Unemployment The labour market is characterized by high seasonality, due to climatic hazards. Traditionally, the inhabitants suspended all outdoor activities (construction, agriculture, etc.) between December and April. In 1999, the unemployment rate was 12.8%, and a third of the employed worked in the public sector. The employment situation was worsened by the complete cessation of deep-sea fishing, the traditional occupation of the islanders, as the unemployment rate in 1990 was lower at 9.5%. In 2023, the unemployment rate in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon was 2.9%. About 70% of the islands' supplies are imported from Canada or from other parts of France via Nova Scotia. There are, as of mid-2024, six hotels on Saint-Pierre as well as B&Bs and Airbnb rentals on both main islands. As of mid-2024, there are 13 restaurants and bistros on Saint-Pierre and one on Île aux Marins; further, the islands' tourism bureau promotes their authentic French cuisine as well as other cuisines. Currency Saint Pierre and Miquelon 20 Francs banknote.jpg|20-CFA-franc banknote SPM001.JPG|A 1948 Aluminum Franc coin Stamp-St Pierre 1891 25Fr overprint.jpg|1891 postage stamp rate during that month, where 1 euro equaled between 1.47 and 1.50 CAD. The euro has been the official currency in Saint Pierre and Miquelon since 1 January 1999, while the euro coins and banknotes were introduced on 1 January 2002, in tandem with Metropolitan France. Before 1890, Mexican dubloons and Canadian dollars both circulated on the islands. Starting in 1889, these were supplemented with local franc banknotes from the Banque des Îles Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon until the end of World War One. The Institut d'Émission des Départements d'Outre-Mer (IEDOM), the French public institution responsible for issuing currency in the overseas territories that used the French franc and later the euro on behalf of the Bank of France, has had an agency in Saint Pierre since 1978. Stamps The islands have issued their own stamps from 1885 to the present, except for a period between 1 April 1978 and 3 February 1986 when French stamps not specific to Saint Pierre and Miquelon were used. ==Demographics==

The total population of the islands at the March 2022 census was 5,819, At the time of the 1999 census, 76% of the population was born on the archipelago, while 16.1% were born in metropolitan France, a sharp increase from the 10.2% in 1990. In the same census, less than 1% of the population reported being a foreign national. Even at the time of the great prosperity of the cod fishery, the population growth had always been constrained by the geographic remoteness, harsh climate and infertile soils. Basque, formerly spoken in private settings by people of Basque ancestry, had disappeared from the islands by the late 1950s. Religion The population is overwhelmingly Christian, with the majority being Catholic. ==Culture==

Every summer there is a Basque Festival, which has demonstrations of harri-jasotzaileak (stone heaving), aizkolaritza (lumberjack skills), and Basque pelota (more widely known in the Americas as frontón/jai alai). The local cuisine is mostly based on seafood such as lobster, snow crab, mussels, and especially cod. Street names are not commonly used on the islands. Directions and locations are commonly given using nicknames and the names of nearby residents. The only time the guillotine was used in North America was on Saint-Pierre in the late 19th century. Sports Ice hockey is very popular in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, with local teams often competing in Newfoundland-based leagues. Several players from the islands have played on French and Canadian club teams, and participated on the France men's national ice hockey team. In 2008, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon played an exhibition match against the French national team and lost 6–8. The territory has not fielded a national side since then. Saint Pierre and Miquelon has a domestic football league comprising three teams. Starting in 2018, local clubs have competed in France's domestic knockout cup, the Coupe de France. The territory also has a national team, but it is presently not a member of FIFA or CONCACAF. ==Transportation==

' Suroit, serving the Fortune–Saint-Pierre route, at SPM ferry dock in Saint-Pierre aircraft taking off from Miquelon Airport Saint-Pierre and Miquelon has of highways plus of unpaved roads. Its only major harbour is at Saint-Pierre although there is a smaller harbour at Miquelon. The collectivity has no merchant marine but has two airports; the runway at Saint-Pierre Airport is long, and at Miquelon Airport, . Ferry services connect the islands with each other and with Fortune on Newfoundland in Canada, 45 km away; crossings take 90 minutes. Saint Pierre and Miquelon no longer have any functioning railways. Ferries Ferry services operated by SPM Ferries connect Saint Pierre with Miquelon town and Langlade, and both Saint Pierre and Miquelon towns with the port of Fortune on Newfoundland in Canada. In the summer, additional services operate between St Pierre and Langlade and between Miquelon and Fortune. SPM Ferries's Nordet and Suroît ferries can transport up to 188 passengers and 18 vehicles each. Jeune France is a smaller ferry serving seasonal local service between St. Pierre and Langlade. The ship arrived in 2012 replacing Saint-George XII, and currently is used for tours. Several cruise ship lines visit Saint-Pierre. They dock 2 km northeast of downtown, near the end of the coastal road. Boats also provide access to Ile aux Marins. Between 2005 and 2009, Atlantic Jet provided a ferry service to the islands from Canada, operated privately by SPM Express SA. It was replaced by the Arethusa, but the service was terminated in 2010 when the island opted to form a government-run ferry service. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, services to Fortune were suspended between March 2020 and August 2021. Air transport There are two airports on the islands: Saint-Pierre Pointe-Blanche Airport and Miquelon Airport . Air transport is provided by Air Saint-Pierre which directly connects Saint-Pierre Pointe-Blanche Airport with: • Miquelon Airport, one of the shortest scheduled airline routes in the world in terms of distance and flight duration • Montreal–Trudeau (YUL) in Quebec, Halifax (YHZ) in Nova Scotia, and Saint John's (YYT) in Newfoundland, Canada • Îles-de-la-Madeleine Airport (YGR), Quebec, seasonally • Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in mainland France; Air Saint-Pierre contracts with ASL Airlines France to operate that flight Connections with mainland France For many years there was no direct air link between Saint Pierre and mainland France, but in summer 2018, Air Saint-Pierre began direct flights to and from Paris during the summer. Other than that option, travel to France requires a transfer, most commonly at Montreal–Trudeau, which has service: • with Air Canada to Paris–CDG, Lyon, Toulouse, and Nice; • with Air France to Paris–CDG; • with Air Transat to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse and Paris–CDG; and • with French Bee to Paris-Orly. There are other connections to mainland France: WestJet provides seasonal flights to Paris-CDG from both Halifax and St. John's. Car transport in Saint-Pierre. European-sized plates are also issued to suit cars brought over from Europe. In the past, Saint Pierre and Miquelon used only standard French vehicle registration plates, rather than plates in the format of high by wide used by most other jurisdictions in North America. More recently however, American vehicles with North American plates are becoming more common; this has increased since the new car ferry service to Canada began in 2021. The islands do not follow the standard French numbering system. Until 1952, cars were simply numbered from 1 onwards, without any code to identify them as being from Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Beginning in 1952, they had serial numbers followed by the letters SPM; for example, 9287 SPM. Since 2000, all numbers have begun with the letters SPM followed by a serial number and serial letter, e.g. SPM 1 A. Road signs are in French and are European influenced. ==Communications==

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon have four radio stations; all stations operate on the FM band, with the last stations converted from the AM band in 2004. Three of the stations are on Saint-Pierre, two of which are owned by La Première, along with one La Première station on Miquelon. At night, these stations broadcast France Inter or France Info. The other station (Radio Atlantique) is an affiliate of Radio France Internationale. The archipelago is linked to North America and Europe by satellite communications for telephone and television service. The archipelago is also home to the Saint Pierre et Miquelon Galileo Sensor Station (GSS), operated by the European Union and its space programme agency (EUSPA) for the European satellite positioning systems Galileo and EGNOS. It is the only Galileo installation in North America. On the other hand, another EGNOS station is located in Moncton, Canada; however, this is due to be replaced by the facilities in Saint Pierre et Miquelon. The department of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is served by one television station: Saint Pierre and Miquelon La Première (call sign FQN) on Channel 1. Before the conversion to the DVB-T standard for digital television broadcasts on 29 November 2011, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon used the French analog SECAM-K1 standard. Further, the local telecommunications provider (SPM Telecom) carried many North American television stations and cable channels; the channels were converted from North America's analog NTSC standard. In addition, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon La Première was carried on Shaw Direct satellite and most digital cable services in Canada, converted to NTSC. SPM Telecom is also the department's main internet service provider. Its internet service being named Cheznoo; this is a play on "chez-nous," French for "our place." SPM Telecom also offers cellular phone and mobile phone service (for phones that adhere to the GSM standard). SPM Telecom uses the GSM 900 MHz band, which is different from the GSM 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands used in the rest of North America. The islands are a well-known separate country-level entity among many radio amateurs; it is identifiable with ITU prefix "FP". Those visiting, mainly from the US, activate Saint-Pierre and Miquelon every year on amateur frequencies. Amateurs collect (records of) contacts with these stations for Islands on the Air and DX Century Club awards; the Atlantic coast gives great takeoff for shortwaves. A few kilometres away is Signal Hill, St. John's which first communicated across the Atlantic, namely with Marconi's Poldhu Wireless Station in England. News SPM Telecom publishes local news online at the Cheznoo web portal. Other publications include the magazine "Mathurin". The Saint Pierre and Miquelon La Première television channel provides a news program every evening at 8pm, called "Le Journal". ==Education==

The archipelago has four primary schools (Sainte Odile, Henriette Bonin, Feu Rouge, les Quatre-Temps), one middle school (Collège Saint-Christophe) with an annex in Miquelon, one state (government) high school (Lycée-Collège d'État Émile Letournel) and one vocational high school. Students who wish to further their studies after high school are granted access to scholarships to study overseas. Most students go to metropolitan France; however, some go to Canada, mainly New Brunswick or Quebec. Since 2001, Frecker had been operated by the local government in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, with support of the federal government of Canada and the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, the Frecker Institute has been replaced by the Frecker Program. It is still run by Memorial University. However, it is held within the building of the Institut de langue française Francoforum, which is now the only French-language institute offering university-level teaching on the island. ==Health==

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon's health care system is entirely public and free. In 2015, St. Pierre and Miquelon indicated that they would start looking for a new healthcare provider as recent rate increases by Eastern Health in Newfoundland were too expensive (increasing to $3.3 million in 2014 from $2.5 million in 2010). Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick were mooted as possible locations. Since 1985, Hôpital François Dunan provides basic care and emergency care for residents of both islands. The island's first hospital was military in 1904 and became a civilian facility in 1905. L'Hôpital-Hospice-Orphelinat opened in 1937. Advance paediatric health needs are serviced through Janeway Children's Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. John's. ==Fire services==

Fire stations: • Both airports, St Pierre and Miquelon, separately. • Service incendie Ville de St Pierre – Caserne Renaissance has five apparatuses: 2 pumpers, aerial ladders and a hazmat. This replaced Caserne Daguerre. • Service incendie Miquelon has four apparatuses: aerial, hazmat, two pumpers. Most are second-hand units from North America; however, St Pierre acquired an aerial ladder from France in 2016. ==Notable people==

, 1916 • Henry Hughes Hough (1871–1943), rear admiral of the United States Navy and one-time military Governor of the United States Virgin Islands • George Alain Frecker (1905–1979), politician and academic administrator • Paula Nenette Pepin (1908–1990), composer, pianist and lyricist • Henri Claireaux (1911-2001), politician • Victor Reux (1929–2016), a politician and teacher • Eugène Nicole (born 1942), writer and academic; specialist in Marcel Proust • Stéphane Lenormand (born 1964), politician • Catherine Hélène, politician • Catherine Pen (born 1954), politician • Françoise Enguehard (born 1957), author who now resides in Canada • Alexandra Hernandez (born 1981), singer-songwriter and poet • Julien Kang (born 1982), lived there until he was five, a television actor and model in Korea Sportspeople • Patrick Foliot (born 1954), former ice hockey goaltender • Denis Kang (born 1977), retired mixed martial artist • Nicolas Arrossamena (born 1990), ice hockey forward • Valentin Claireaux (born 1991), ice hockey player ==See also==