The flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon is officially the
flag of France, as
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (), officially the Territorial Collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (french: link=no, Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon ), is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France in t ...
is a self-governing
overseas collectivity
The French overseas collectivities (''collectivité d'outre-mer'' or ''COM'') are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colonies ...
of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
History
In 1982 an unofficial local flag was designed, based on the
Collectivity's coat of arms. The flag is blue with a yellow ship, said to be ''
Grande Hermine
''Grande Hermine'' (; "great ermine") was the name of the carrack that brought Jacques Cartier to Saint-Pierre on 15 June 1535, and upon which he discovered the estuary of the St. Lawrence River and the St. Lawrence Iroquoian settlement of St ...
'', which brought
Jacques Cartier to Saint Pierre on 15 June 1536. Three square fields placed along the
hoist recall the origin of most inhabitants of the islands, from top to bottom,
Basques,
Bretons
The Bretons (; br, Bretoned or ''Vretoned,'' ) are a Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brittonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain, particularly Cornwall and Devon, mo ...
, and
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
.
The flag was likely designed by André Paturel, a local business owner.
Although not used at an official level, the flag is still a common sight in the territory, being flown alongside the French tricolour in front of government buildings or even private residences.
Municipalities
Flag_of_Miquelon-Langlade.svg,
Flag_of_Saint-Pierre_and_Miquelon.svg,
See also
*
Coat of arms of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
*
Flag of France
*
National emblem of France
The current Constitution of France does not specify a national emblem. The unofficial coat of arms of France depicts a lictor's fasces upon branches of laurel and oak, as well as a ribbon bearing the national motto of '' Liberté, égalité, f ...
References
External links
*
St Pierre & MiquelonSt Pierre & Miquelon Community Website
Flags of Overseas France
Flag
Unofficial flags
Saint
Saint-Pierre
Flags introduced in 1982
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