St. Pierre and Miquelon


St. Pierre and Miquelon

 

an overseas department of France situated in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland. It consists of nine islands, the two largest of which are St. Pierre and Miquelon. Total area, 242 sq km. Population, 6,000 (1973). The inhabitants are mainly French Catholics; the official language is French. The department’s capital, economic center, and port is St. Pierre.

St. Pierre and Miquelon has a humid temperate marine climate, with an average January temperature of - 6°C, an average July temperature of 14°C, and an annual precipitation reaching 1,000 mm. The rocky surface of the hilly lowlands and plateaus is unsuited for agriculture. The main occupations of the inhabitants are fishing, fish processing, and the servicing of foreign fishing vessels. St. Pierre and Miquelon has a fur farm; exports include fish, fish products, and fur.