Saint Pierre and Miquelon, officially the Overseas Collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, is a self-governing French overseas collectivity located in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It is an archipelago comprising eight islands, situated near the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Historically, the region was a vital outpost of New France, and today, it maintains a strong cultural and administrative link to France while operating within the geopolitical sphere of North America. The population is small, estimated at around 6,000 people, and the territory covers an area of 242 km². The capital and largest settlement is Saint-Pierre.