Short facts about people of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

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

Dependency status:

self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions:

none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions approved by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon

Independence:

none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:  President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Remi THUAU (since NA) head of government:  President of the General Council Bernard LE SOAVEC (since NA 1996) cabinet:  NA elections:  French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 7 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 2002); 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

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 NA April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results:  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note:  Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch:

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

FZ, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square 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 on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Source: World Factbook