Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, MIHK uh lon, are two small French islands off the southern coast of the island of Newfoundland. They lie about 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the west of Burin Peninsula. The rocky islands cover a total area of 93 square miles (242 square kilometers) and have a population of about 7,000. A general council, made up of 19 elected members, governs the islands. An administrator, appointed by the French government, oversees local departments. The two islands and several small islet dependencies make up a political unit of France called a territorial collectivity.