Saint Pierre and Miquelon

by Paul Bacsich

For entities in Saint Pierre and Miquelon see Category:Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in full the Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French: Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) is a group of small French islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. There are eight islands in the archipelago.

The islands lie south of the province of Newfoundland & Labrador in Canada. The islands are as close as 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Green Island, part of Newfoundland.

The population is around 7,000.

The capital is Saint-Pierre.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is administratively divided into two communes (municipalities:

1. Miquelon-Langlade - an hourglass-shaped island consisting of Grande Miquelon, connected by an isthmus to Petite Miquelon
2. Saint-Pierre, a smaller island to the south-east of Miquelon-Langlade

The politics of Saint Pierre and Miquelon take place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity, whereby the President of the Territorial Council is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Saint Pierre and Miquelon also sends one deputy to the French National Assembly and one senator to the French Senate.

Between 1890 and 1965, the islanders used the Canadian dollar, and the Saint Pierre and Miquelon franc, which was equal to the French franc until 1945, then to the CFA franc between 1945 and 1960, and then to the French new franc until 1965, when the French franc was established, circulating alongside the Canadian dollar on the islands. Since 2002, the French franc has been replaced with the euro. Both the euro and the Canadian dollar are used on the islands.

French is the official language of the islands. The local accent and many of the words used are similar to the Norman language. Every year in the summer there is a Basque Festival

Despite its proximity to Canada it seems unrealistic and over-complicated to include Saint Pierre and Miquelon in Category:North America.

Education

Almost no information is available.

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For OER policies and projects in Saint Pierre and Miquelon see Saint Pierre and Miquelon/OER

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