Country name
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local long form: Departement de 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 as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order

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 Jean-Francois TALLON (since NA)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 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
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA

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 Marach 2000 (next to be held NA 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 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, 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

Judicial branch Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders PRG [leader NA]; 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

NOTE: The information regarding Saint Pierre and Miquelon on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Saint Pierre and Miquelon Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saint Pierre and Miquelon Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.