Editing Geography of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Infobox country
|conventional_long_name   = Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
|image_map                = Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon Map (en).png
|capital                  = [[Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon|Saint-Pierre]]
|coordinates              = {{Coord|46|47|N|56|11|W|type:city}}
|largest_city             = Saint-Pierre
|area_km2                 = 242
|area_sq_mi               = 93.4
|population_census        = 7,036
|population_census_year   = July 2007
|population_density_km2   = 25
|population_density_sq_mi = 66
|population_density_rank  = 176th
}}
[[File:Saint-Pierre and Miquelon 3D.png|thumb|right|Simulated view of the islands by NASA]]
[[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]] is a French [[overseas collectivity]] in the [[Western Hemisphere]] and the [[Northern Hemisphere]].  It consists of an island [[archipelago]], off the coast of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], near [[North America]].  The collectivity shares a [[maritime boundary]] with [[Canada]].

==Location==
[[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]] is situated south of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] in the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] in the [[North Atlantic Ocean]]. Its distance north–south from Newfoundland is {{convert|60|km|nmi}}. The islands are even closer to the long [[Burin Peninsula]], which is situated just {{convert|25|km|nmi}} to the east. In addition, [[Green Island (Fortune), Newfoundland|Green Island]], which belongs to Newfoundland, is located about halfway between the southern part of Miquelon-Langlade and Newfoundland at {{coord|46|52|44|N|56|05|21|W|}}, only {{Convert|10|km|mi|0}} from both Langlade and St. Pierre.<ref name="heritage.nf">{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/pierre_miquelon.html|title=St. Pierre et Miquelon|year=2001|first=Olaf Uwe|last=Janzen|publisher=[[Memorial University of Newfoundland]]|access-date=2007-08-29}}</ref>

==Physical geography==
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is an archipelago of eight islands, [[Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon|Saint-Pierre]] (25&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) and [[Miquelon-Langlade]] (216&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) being the major ones. Collectively the area of the islands is  242&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, which is about the size of [[Brooklyn]] in [[New York City]]. The total coastline is 120&nbsp;km. The territory also includes the surrounding fishing areas in the North [[Atlantic Ocean]].

===Saint-Pierre===
The island of [[Saint Pierre Island|Saint-Pierre]] is surrounded to the south-east by smaller dependencies, [[Petit Colombier]], [[Île aux Marins]], [[Île aux Pigeons]]  and [[Île aux Vainqueurs]], and [[Grand Colombier]] to the north. These islands have all been inhabited at one time or another.<ref name="spm.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/english/index.php|title=Saint-Pierre and Miquelon|access-date=2010-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725164243/http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/english/index.php|archive-date=2010-07-25|url-status=usurped}}</ref>  The settlement of [[Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon|Saint Pierre]] on [[Saint Pierre Island]] is the largest settlement in Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

St. Pierre is separated from Miquelon-Langlade by a {{convert|6|km|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.

===Miquelon-Langlade===
The island(s) of [[Miquelon-Langlade]] consists of three formerly separate islands [[Miquelon Island|Miquelon]] (110&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), [[Langlade Island|Langlade]] (91&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) and Le Cap. 
In the 18th century, an [[isthmus]] of sand called [[La Dune]] was formed naturally between Miquelon and Langlade. The isthmus was reinforced by hand with sand and [[Quaternary]] deposits to what is now a {{convert|13|km|mi|adj=on}} sand dune. Along the isthmus, there are over 500 wrecked ships.<ref name="spm.com"/>

What was originally the ''island'' Miquelon is now also called ''Grande Miquelon'' while ''Petite Miquelon'' refers to Langlade.<ref name="heritage.nf"/> The settlement of [[Miquelon, Miquelon-Langlade|Miquelon]] lies at the junction of the northwest corner of Miquelon Island and Le Cap.

== Climate ==
[[File:Winter in saint-pierre, SPM, white house.JPG|thumb|left|Winters in Saint-Pierre feature windswept snowfalls, 28 January 2005]]
The climate is very damp and windy and winters are harsh and long. The spring and early summer are foggy and cool. Late summer and early fall are sunny. Winds pick up during spring and autumn.

{{Meteo France
|Town=Saint Pierre and Miquelon
|Sunshine= 1,427
|Rain=1,323.5
|Snow=99.0
|Storm=6.6
|Fog=100.8<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lameteo.org/index.php/12-climatologie/1672-normales-climatiques-1981-2010-saint-pierre-et-miquelon|title=Normales climatiques 1981-2010 : Saint Pierre and Miquelon|website=www.lameteo.org|access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref>
}}
<br>
{{Weather box
|location = St Pierre and Miquelon (1981–2010 averages, extremes 1941–present)
|metric first = y
|single line = y
|Jan record high C = 9.8
|Feb record high C = 9.4
|Mar record high C = 12.2
|Apr record high C = 13.8
|May record high C = 22.0
|Jun record high C = 25.1
|Jul record high C = 28.3
|Aug record high C = 26.2
|Sep record high C = 26.8
|Oct record high C = 20.1
|Nov record high C = 15.1
|Dec record high C = 12.8
|year record high C = 28.3
|Jan high C = -0.1
|Feb high C = -0.7
|Mar high C = 1.0
|Apr high C = 4.3
|May high C = 8.5
|Jun high C = 12.5
|Jul high C = 16.7
|Aug high C = 18.7
|Sep high C = 16.0
|Oct high C = 11.2
|Nov high C = 6.8
|Dec high C = 2.7
|year high C = 8.2
|Jan mean C = -2.6
|Feb mean C = -3.2
|Mar mean C = -1.4
|Apr mean C = 2.0
|May mean C = 5.6
|Jun mean C = 9.6
|Jul mean C = 14.1
|Aug mean C = 16.2
|Sep mean C = 13.5
|Oct mean C = 8.9
|Nov mean C = 4.5
|Dec mean C = 0.4
|year mean C = 5.7
|Jan low C = -5.2
|Feb low C = -5.7
|Mar low C = -3.7
|Apr low C = -0.4
|May low C = 2.8
|Jun low C = 6.7
|Jul low C = 11.5
|Aug low C = 13.8
|Sep low C = 11.0
|Oct low C = 6.6
|Nov low C = 2.3
|Dec low C = -1.9
|year low C = 3.2
|Jan record low C = -17.4
|Feb record low C = -18.7
|Mar record low C = -18.1
|Apr record low C = -9.8
|May record low C = -4.5
|Jun record low C = 0.8
|Jul record low C = 4.9
|Aug record low C = 5.8
|Sep record low C = 1.7
|Oct record low C = -2.6
|Nov record low C = -9.2
|Dec record low C = -14.6
|year record low C = -18.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 102.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 101.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 100.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 97.6
|May precipitation mm = 102.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 103.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 99.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 93.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 141.4
|Oct precipitation mm = 135.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 133.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 114.7
|year precipitation mm = 1326.7
|Jan rain days = 3.03
|Feb rain days = 4.07
|Mar rain days = 5.17
|Apr rain days = 8.83
|May rain days = 12.87
|Jun rain days = 14.60
|Jul rain days = 18.50
|Aug rain days = 11.27
|Sep rain days = 6.33
|Oct rain days = 4.13
|Nov rain days = 4.70
|Dec rain days = 3.53
|year rain days = 97.03
|Jan snow days = 22.63
|Feb snow days = 19.00
|Mar snow days = 15.25
|Apr snow days = 7.36
|May snow days = 0.89
|Jun snow days = 0.04
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.00
|Nov snow days = 4.40
|Dec snow days = 3.20
|year snow days = 
|Jan sun= 49.6
|Feb sun= 70.2
|Mar sun= 115.5
|Apr sun= 131.9
|May sun= 165.8
|Jun sun= 172.6
|Jul sun= 164.8
|Aug sun= 173.5
|Sep sun= 156.1
|Oct sun= 119.0
|Nov sun= 63.0
|Dec sun= 45.4
|year sun= 1427.3
|source 1 =  Météo France<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.meteospm.org/clim.php
| title = Statistiques: Saint Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
| publisher = Météo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 10 October 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161010141939/http://www.meteospm.org/clim.php
| archive-date = 10 October 2016
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.meteospm.org/records.php
| title = Records pour la station de Saint Pierre
| publisher = Météo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 10 October 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161011060423/http://www.meteospm.org/records.php
| archive-date = 11 October 2016
| url-status = live
}}</ref> (Averages are for the period 1981–2010.)<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_97502001.pdf
| title=climate of St-Pierre 1981-2010
| language = fr
| publisher = [[Météo-France]]
| access-date = June 2, 2022}}</ref>
|date=August 2013
}}

==Environment==
[[Pinniped|Seal]]s and other wildlife can be found in the [[Grand Barachois]] [[lagoon]] of Miquelon. Every spring, [[whale]]s migrating to Greenland are visible off the coasts of Miquelon and St Pierre.

[[Trilobite]] fossils have been found on Langlade. There were a number of stone pillars off the island coasts called "L'anse aux Soldats" that have been eroded away and disappeared in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://grandcolombier.com/2003-geographie/geologie/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060111105117/http://www.grandcolombier.com/2003-geographie/geologie/index.html |archive-date=2006-01-11|title=La Géologie des îles Saint-Pierre et Miquelon|work=Encyclopédie des îles Saint-Pierre & Miquelon|publisher=Miquelon Conseil|language=fr}}</ref>

{{Location map
 |Canada Newfoundland
 |label=
 |lat=46.783333
 |long=-56.183333
 |position=top
 |width=250
 |float=right
 |background=
 |caption=Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (off the coast of Newfoundland)
 }}
'''Maritime claims:'''
<br/>''exclusive economic zone:''
{{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1|lk=in}}
<br/>''territorial sea:''
{{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1}}

'''Elevation extremes:'''
<br/>''lowest point:''
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
<br/>''highest point:''
[[Morne de la Grande Montagne]] 240 m

'''Natural resources:'''
fish, deepwater ports

'''Land use:'''
<br/>''arable land:''
13%
<br/>''permanent crops:''
0%
<br/>''permanent pastures:''
0%
<br/>''forests and woodland:''
4%
<br/>''other:''
83% (1993 est.)

'''Natural hazards:'''
persistent [[fog]] throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

'''Environment - current issues:'''
The fishing beds have been overfished, and may or may not recover.

'''Geography - note:'''
vegetation scanty

==See also==
*[[Canada–France Maritime Boundary Case]]
*[[List of airports in Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]
*[[List of cities in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]]
*[[List of islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]
*[[List of rivers of Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]
*[[Appalachian Mountains#Overview|Appalachian Mountains Overview]]

==Notes==
{{CIA World Factbook}}{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/saint-pierre-and-miquelon/ "Saint Pierre and Miquelon" CIA Factbook 2016]

{{Outlying territories of European countries}}
{{Americas topic|Geography of}}
{{Americas topic|Climate of}}

[[Category:Geography of Saint Pierre and Miquelon| ]]