HISTORY
The French dimension of Newfoundland's history is accentuated
by the presence, 20 kilometres off the Burin Peninsula, of the French islands
of St. Pierre and Miquelon. An important fishing base for centuries, the islands'
population, and fishermen from France, have had a long and varied relationship
with their neighbours in Newfoundland.
The islands are bare and rocky, with only a thin layer of peat
to soften the hard landscape. The coasts are generally steep,
and there is only one good harbour in the port of St. Pierre,
where most of the inhabitants live - about 5,600 people out of
a total population in 1990 of about 6,392. Adding to its importance,
the town of St. Pierre is also the administrative centre and
the site of the principal airport. The harbour, which originally
could not handle vessels of more than modest tonnage, has been
improved with artificial breakwaters.
Most inhabitants of St. Pierre et Miquelon live in the town of
St. Pierre, the administrative centre and site of the principal
airport.
Map by Tanya Saunders. ©2001 Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage
Web Site.
Once there were three main islands: St. Pierre;
Miquelon; and Langlade. During the 18th century, Miquelon and
Langlade were
permanently joined by an immense sand bar and dune. Miquelon
and St. Pierre are separated by a six-kilometre strait whose
fierce currents inspired fishermen to name it "the Mouth
of Hell." There are also several smaller islets, of which
only L'Ile-aux-Marins at the mouth of the harbour of St. Pierre
was inhabited, and then only from the middle of the 19th century
until 1965.
The population of St. Pierre and Miquelon today rely on fishing
and, increasingly, on tourism for employment and income. In addition,
the French government makes large expenditures on the islands,
determined to maintain the last remnant of the once extensive
French empire in North America.
