Native name: Île Sainte-Pierre | |
|---|---|
 Saint Pierre Island and its neighbouring islands in 2013 | |
  Saint Pierre | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 46°46′40″N56°10′40″W / 46.7778°N 56.1778°W /46.7778; -56.1778 |
| Archipelago | Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
| Adjacent to | Gulf of Saint Lawrence |
| Area | 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) |
| Highest point | Le Trépied 207 m (679 ft)[1] |
| Administration | |
| Overseas collectivity | Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
| Largest Commune | Saint-Pierre |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Saint-Pierrais |
| Population | 5,888 (2011) |
| Languages | French |
Saint Pierre Island, also spelt asSaint-Pierre Island,[3] is one of the three main islands ofSaint Pierre and Miquelon. It contains the town ofSaint-Pierre, which lies on the island's east coast and is the main population centre of the island group. It is part of anoverseas collectivity ofFrance, and is located near the Canadian province ofNewfoundland and Labrador.[4]
Saint Pierre Island is situated south ofNewfoundland in theGulf of Saint Lawrence in theNorth Atlantic Ocean. Its distance north–south from Newfoundland is 60 kilometres (32 nmi). The islands are even closer to the longBurin Peninsula, which is situated just 25 kilometres (13 nmi) to the east. In addition,Green Island, which belongs to Newfoundland, is located about halfway between the southern part of Miquelon-Langlade and Newfoundland at46°52′44″N56°05′21″W / 46.87889°N 56.08917°W /46.87889; -56.08917, only 10 kilometres (6 mi) from both Langlade and St. Pierre.[5]
Several smaller islands lie off the coast of Saint Pierre, notablyL'Île-aux-Marins andL'Île-aux-Vainqueurs, both to the east, andGrand Colombier, which lies off Saint Pierre's northernmost point.[4][6] Saint Pierre and its neighbouring islands form theSaint-Pierre commune, one of twocommunes in Saint Pierre and Miquelon (the other beingMiquelon-Langlade). The island is accessible by ferry fromNewfoundland and has immigrations control for the country ofFrance.
St. Pierre is separated from Miquelon-Langlade by a 6 kilometres (3.2 nmi) strait with very fierce currents. Fishermen call this section of ocean "The Mouth of Hell". The waters around these islands are very treacherous, and there have been over 600 shipwrecks along the coasts of the islands. The terrain is also described as mostly barren rock.
The highest point of the island isLe Trépied at 207 m (679 ft) high.[1]
The Portuguese explorerJoão Álvares Fagundes is believed to have landed on the islands on 21 October 1520, naming them the 'Eleven Thousand Virgins' in honor of the feast day ofSaint Ursula.[7] French explorerJacques Cartier claimed the islands for France in 1536, noting the presence of French andBreton fishing vessels.[8] By the late 17th century, permanent French settlements had been established, with records indicating four inhabitants in 1670 and 22 by 1691.[8]
Throughout the 18th century, Saint Pierre andMiquelon were contested betweenFrance andBritain, changing hands multiple times due to various treaties and conflicts. TheTreaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded the islands to Britain, but they were returned to France under theTreaty of Paris in 1763.[9][10][11] During theAmerican Revolutionary War, British forces again seized the islands in 1778, deporting French settlers. The islands were returned to France in 1783, only to be captured again by the British in 1793 during theFrench Revolutionary Wars. After several more exchanges, France permanently regained control in 1816.[12][13][14]
In the 19th century, the islands' economy thrived on thecod fishing industry, serving as a base for French fishermen.[15][16] However, the late 1800s saw a decline due to overfishing and competition. During theProhibition era in the United States (1920–1933), Saint Pierre and Miquelon became a hub foralcohol smuggling, temporarily boosting the local economy.[17][18][16]
DuringWorld War II, the islands were under the control ofVichy France until December 1941, whenFree French forces seized them, an action later endorsed by a local referendum. Post-war, the islands faced economic challenges due to the decline of the fishing industry.[19][16] In 1946, Saint Pierre andMiquelon became overseas territory of France. They were designated as overseas departments in 1976 and later as a territorial collectivity in 1985, granting them a degree of administrative autonomy. Today, the islands maintain their French heritage while exploring economic diversification beyond fishing.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
The residents are known asSaint-Pierrais and are citizens ofFrance.[26] The population of the island in 2011 was 5,888 people and the population was mainlyFrench andAcadian.
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