These islands represent the last foothold of colonial France in the Atlantic.
The island of St. Pierre.
Photo credit:Gord McKenna/Flickr
The archipelago is composed of eight islands, totaling 242 square kilometers.
Of these only two islands, St. Pierre and Miquelon, are inhabited.
This new industry became so lucrative that the islanders gave up fishing.
Fish factories closed down and became storage facilities, while new concrete warehouses sprang up all along the waterfront.
During its heydays, even Al Capone came over to spend time on the island.
For nearly thirteen years this small and remote island experienced unprecedented economic prosperity supplying alcohol to their dry neighbors.
But when Prohibition ended in 1933, the thriving economy collapsed and the islanders went back to fishing.
The dispute was settled in 1992 by arbitration.
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was created around the islands, and awarded that to France.
As perNew York Times, the maritime boundary contained another blunder.
Or it may not.
The island on the lower left is Langlade.
Photo credit:Doc Searls/Flickr
Crates of champagne being offloaded at the docks of St. Pierre.
Photo credit:bayoffundy.ca
Source:The Daily Beast/NY Times/Wikipedia
