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  Bermuda
(overseas territory of the UK)
 
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 Geography
 People
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This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


Map of Bermuda
Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Bermuda Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.
   Geography    Bermuda Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
32 20 N, 64 45 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
North America
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
103 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
low hills separated by fertile depressions
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
sustainable development
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
   People    Bermuda Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
66,163 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,094/female 6,014)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,696/female 23,094)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 3,597/female 4,668) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 40.6 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 41.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.576% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.771 male(s)/female
total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 78.13 years
male: 76 years
female: 80.29 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.297% (2005)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
163 (2005)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
392 (2005)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English (official), Portuguese
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (2005 est.)
   Government    Bermuda Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary; self-governing territory
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Hamilton
geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bermuda Day, 24 May
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
English law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007)
head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
   Economy    Bermuda Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$69,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38,360 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.1% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
19% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.8% (November 2005)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $738 million
expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
international business, tourism, light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
618 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
574.8 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,250 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$763 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Spain 31.6%, UK 16.6%, Brazil 9.6%, Sweden 7.9% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.162 billion (2006)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 71.8%, Venezuela 6.9%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$90,000 (2004)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$160 million (FY99/00)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.125 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Bermudian dollar (BMD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 April - 31 March
   Communications    Bermuda Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
57,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
60,100 (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber-optic trunk lines
international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
3 (2005)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.bm
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,949 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
42,000 (2005)
   Transportation    Bermuda Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 447 km
paved: 447 km
note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 133 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,366,999 GRT/8,615,385 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 24, container 22, liquefied gas 30, passenger 23, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 126 (Australia 4, Belgium 3, China 10, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 3, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 1, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Singapore 1, Sweden 15, UK 20, US 23)
registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Croatia 2, Marshall Islands 5, Philippines 31) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Hamilton, Saint George
   Military    Bermuda Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; Bermuda Police Service, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary, Bermuda Regiment
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary; term of service 39 months (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 15,151 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 12,165 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.11% (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the UK
   Transnational Issues    Bermuda Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


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