Flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint Pierre and Miquelon, like many other French overseas territories, does not have its own flag, and the official flag is the French tricolor. However, there is an unofficial flag used to represent the community in cultural and local contexts.

Meaning of the flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

The official flag of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, i.e. the flag of France, consists of three vertical stripes of equal width: blue (on the pole), white and red, where blue symbolizes freedom, white - equality, and red - brotherhood.

However, there is an unofficial flag that has the following symbolism:

• The ship “Gran Hermina” symbolizes the discovery of the islands by Jacques Cartier in 1536 and emphasizes the importance of navigation and fishing for the economic development of the region;
• The blue background symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands and their maritime heritage;
• The left vertical stripe of the flag is made up of three horizontal sections, each representing a different group of settlers who have had an impact on the islands' history:
  • Upper section: The Basque flag, red with a green and white cross symbolizing the Basques, who have greatly influenced the culture and history of the islands;
  • Middle part: The flag of Brittany, white with black figures (hermines), representing the Bretons;
  • Lower part: The flag of Normandy, red with two yellow lions, symbolizing the Normans.

A brief historical note on Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

St. Pierre and Miquelon is a group of islands in the North Atlantic located off the east coast of Canada. They have a rich and interesting history that begins with the discovery of these lands by Europeans. In 1536, French explorer Jacques Cartier first discovered these islands during his second expedition to North America. He named them St. Pierre and Miquelon in honor of St. Peter and St. Michael.
During the seventeenth century, the islands became a permanent refuge for French fishermen who used them as a base for drying and processing fish, particularly cod, caught in the Atlantic Ocean. This place became an important fishing center for France. In 1713, according to the Treaty of Utrecht, France lost control of the islands, which were transferred to Great Britain. However, in the following decades, the islands repeatedly changed hands between the French and the British.
In 1763, after the Treaty of Paris, the islands returned to French control, but by 1778 they were again occupied by the British during the American War of Independence. The islands finally returned to French control in 1816 after the Napoleonic Wars. Since then, Saint Pierre and Miquelon have remained French territories.
In 1903, the islands were granted the status of an overseas department of France, which gave them more autonomy in managing local affairs. During World War II, the islands were briefly occupied by Free French forces in 1941 to prevent their use by the Vichy forces. In 1976, the islands were granted the status of an overseas community of France, which allowed them to have more autonomous governance.