Concept
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (ˈmIkəlQn), officially the Territorial Collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon sɛ̃ pjɛʁ e miklɔ̃), is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean near the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. An archipelago of eight islands, Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a vestige of the once-vast territory of New France. Its residents are French citizens; the collectivity elects its own deputy to the National Assembly and participates in senatorial and presidential elections. It covers of land and had a population of 6,008 . The islands are in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near the entrance of Fortune Bay, which extends into the southwestern coast of Newfoundland, near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. St. Pierre is from Point May on the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland and from Brest, the nearest city in Metropolitan France. The tiny Canadian Green Island lies east of St. Pierre, roughly halfway to Point May. Saint-Pierre is French for Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. The present name of Miquelon was first noted in the form of Micquetô, Miqueton or Micquellon in the French Basque sailor Martin de Hoyarçabal's 1579 navigational pilot for Newfoundland, Les voyages aventureux du Capitaine Martin de Hoyarsabal, habitant du çubiburu: Gisant le cap de Breton & le pertuis de Miqueton est oest, y a 42 l." ... "Gisant la Colombe de S. Pierre le pertuis de Micquellon nord noroest & sud suest: y a 7 l. It has been claimed that the name Miquelon is a Basque form of Michael; Mikel and Mikels are usually named Mikelon in the Basque Country. Therefore, from Mikelon it may have been written in the French way with a q instead of a k. The Basque Country is divided between Spain and France, and most Basques live south of the border, so Miquelon may have been influenced by the Spanish name Miguelón, an augmentative form of Miguel meaning "big Michael".
