World Factbook
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Département de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the left side rides on a blue background with wavy white lines; a black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the left side, a vertical band is divided into three heraldic arms: the top (called ikkurina ) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners and overlaid with a white cross, the middle is white with an ermine pattern, and the bottom is red with two yellow lions outlined in black meaning: the arms represent settlers from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy in France; blue symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean, and the ship represents explorer Jacques Cartier's ship when he visited the islands in 1536
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Capital
name
Saint-Pierre
etymology
may be named after Saint Peter, the patron saint of fisherman; alternatively, the name may come from one of the two navigators for whom the island as a whole is named
time difference
UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
geographic coordinates
46 46 N, 56 11 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
see France
Constitution
history
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendment process
amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
Country name
etymology
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is reputed to be named after two navigators, one called Peter and one called Michael (in a nickname form) or Mikelon, a Basque name
local long form
Département de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local short form
Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
conventional long form
Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Independence
none (overseas collectivity collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)
Legal system
French civil law
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Supérieur d'Appel (composition NA)
judge selection and term of office
judge selection and tenure NA
Executive branch
cabinet
Le Cabinet du Préfet
chief of state
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Bruno ANDRE (since September 2023)
election results
2020: Bernard BRIAND elected President of Territorial Council; Territorial Council vote - 17 for, 2 abstentions 2017: Stephane LENORMAND elected President of Territorial Council vote - NA
head of government
President of Territorial Council Marc DIDIO (since 12 January 2026)
most recent election date
13 October 2020
election/appointment process
French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; Territorial Council president elected by Territorial Council councilors by absolute majority vote; term NA
National holiday
Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)
note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)
Dependency status
overseas collectivity of France
Political parties
Archipelago Tomorrow (Archipel Domain) or AD (affiliated with The Republicans) Focus on the Future (Cap sur l'Avenir) (affiliated with Left Radical Party) Together to Build (Ensemble pour Construire)
Legislative branch
note
note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term
term in office
6 years
number of seats
19 (directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
Territorial Council (Conseil Territorial)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
3/27/2022
expected date of next election
March 2028
parties elected and seats per party
AD (15); Focus on the Future (4)
National anthem(s)
title
"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
history
official anthem, as a French collectivity
lyrics/music
Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
National symbol(s)
16th-century sailing ship
Administrative divisions
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 2 communes are considered second-order: Saint Pierre, Miquelon
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
International organization participation
UPU, WFTU (NGOs)